Insurgents: The Shan Conspiracy
by Blitzkrieger
Summary: Ulic-Nox Shan lived among the stars, going from planet to planet with his brothers crew when unknowingly fly right into the Clone Wars, discovered to be smugglers. There forced to escape and unlock a hidden secret from the galaxy even Sith fear. (Review and suggest anything)
1. The Boy from the Stars

Ulic-Nox bobbed his head to the fast-paced Lapti Nek, a well-known Hutt song, in his spacesuit, working outside he had a splicer with the haul of the ship. "Ab quick zen ice fest, Jen with taster mo vey…." Ulic-Nox sung along with the music while it blared in his ears and inside freighter, Macross was sitting in the pilot's chair, wearing a faded red leather jacket with shoulder pads, a brown shirt, and gray pants, he was holding a rag cleaning a DE-10 made of dark metal with a wooden handle grip. He wore a leather string around his neck, dangling on it was a medallion, with an ancient carving on it. His brown hair was mixed with his tan skin as he scratched a short beard looking at a star chart. In the back of the ship a tall trandoshan in a faded orange shirt and white pilots vest, with black trousers that went past his knees were playing a game of holo chess across from an ancient Astro droid with multiple wires sticking out of its headpiece going into its body which had been heavily modified. The head and the main body was a T7 unit with R4 left leg and R6 right leg, his rear wheel had been replaced with a newer variant as well, with an improved hydraulic it had an extended arm out pressing the controls on the hole board making its rancor walk over to the Trandoshans mynock and smash it.

"Good move, very good move." The trandoshan said scratching his yellowish green scales. Sitting across from them, a brown robed Jawa with a tool belt was working on something that only it new, in the ships medical bay stood a white skinned Arkannian offshoot, her hair was pale as snow and so was her skin, she wore a white coat with silver pants as she was writing something on paper. In one f the crew quarters a broad shouldered advozse polishing a blaster pistol, he wore a dark purple jumpsuit with a green trim, and body armor over his chest and shoulders.

Outside, Ulic-Nox stood up dancing with the music in zero gravity he moved slower but still danced on top the Nightingale the freighter was a unique design, with a round body like a Corellian ship with two large engines in the back and four smaller ones in sets of two on the back, it had an XS-series sized cargo holds on the left and right side of the ship. With an extended nose around the bridge at the nose of the ship. It had visible armaments on the top and bottom, the back between the engines With heavy cannons and torpedo ports underneath the bridge. Its haul was gray without a paint job except for some faded brown markings on its top.

"Wok lapti nek seb not van, wah toc peg qui doz gee pig, enact, Goc jarraz has deg zorze zet…" Ulic-Nox mumbled on the outer haul. He finished up his work and saw something in the corner of his helmet, Ulic-Nox stood up letting the stars see his tan skin like Macross but turquoise eyes with blonde hair shaved on the sides tied in a short ponytail behind his head. He stood up and smiled seeing what it was, a flock of purrgil flying next to the freighter.

Macross closed his star chart inside and leaned up to the pilot seats dashboard "Lil Bro how's it coming out there?"

"Little brother?" Macross asked when he didn't get a response "Hey May, we got company." Ulic-Nox said as Macross saw the pod of purrgil fly around them. Ulic-Nox reached into his pocket and took out a book with a pen and started to sketch the purrgil quickly, and started to record flock as it passed by them walking close enough to one on the edge of his ship and reached out to it brushing his fingers on its hide before they flew off. The rest of the crew came out to see the pod fly past him.

Macross smiled too pressing a button on the ships intercom "Attention crew, but if you look out your nearest window you will see a pod of purrgil blessing out latest job."

The crew came to the bridge to see it, "Hey Ulic-Nox, get back inside we're going to make a jump to the next system." Macross said into the coms "Roger, Roger big brother." Ulic-Nox said heading to the airlock.

Inside the bridge, Macross turned is leather bound chair around to look at his crew, the Trandoshan, Offshoot, Jawa, Advosze and droids.

"Ladon how's the shipment?" He asked the lizard "We're good bossss, it'sss sssecure." The trandoshan said back his tongue hissing at the end of every word "Beatnik, engine status?" Macross asked the jawa who started to speak in its own language behind its hood throwing its hands in the air.

Macross nodded "Well this job will set us up nicely to buy ten of those, Hestia?"

"Dr. Hestia and what?" The offshoot woman asked him giving him a cold glance with pale gray eyes "How are we, anything to report?"

Dr. Hestia shook her head "A little shore leave wouldn't hurt." She said sarcastically.

"We keep doing jobs like this we won't even be able to afford the parking." The advosze said sullenly taking a seat arms crossed "Buur, as always your optimism. keeps this crew together." Macross replied, the horned alien just growled at him

Just then Ulic-Nox walked in, he had stripped out of his evo suit, the young boy had on a faded blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a turquoise scarf and a black set of pants and grayish blue boots around his legs, over his shoulder he had a bag holding his sketchbook. He had fingerless gloves with leather grip "Someone say shorel eave?" Ulic-Nox asked smiling as he walked.

"How we looking little brother?" Macross asked him "Nav computers transponder is better than ever, how long till the Selucimi system, you beat him again Teeseven?" Ulic-Nox asked the droid who gave happy gloating beeping back to him "My droid." Ulic-Nox said scratching the back of the droids head.

"One jump away." Macross told him "Everyone get strapped in. Everyone took their seats in the bridge, Macross in the captain's chair, Ulic-Nox took his seat in the co pilot next to his brother. Dr. Hestia sat behind Macross and Ladon was behind Ulic-Nox, the droid, the Jawa named Beatnik started to stomp off to the back pulling open an extra seat insulting them in jawa.

Macross and everyone looked back at him "You want a seat, you buy a seat and install it you little hooded demon." Macross said as they started to make the jump "Hyperdrive is ready." Ulic-Nox told Macross.

"We're on our way." Macross said with a smile before they started to jump, stars stretched behind them as the the blue vortex of hyper speed appeared.

While they waited, Ulic-Nox reached into his pocket and pulled out his holocamera and looked the hologram of the purrgil, he started to sickle it across the images "Hey Ulic-Nox, you ever thought of publisssshing thossse holosss you take?" Ladon asked him from behind.

"What, so a bunch of Core snobs can snobs can see'em?" Ulic-Nox asked the trandoshan.

Ladon shrugged his scales "Jussst sssaying you could make a loud of credssss." The trandoshan pointed out.

Next to them, Macross rolled around in his chair to Dr. Hestia "About that shore leave, why not we stop by Scarif, enjoy some beaches?"

Hestia smiled at him with everyone else hearing him "We should pick up some gizika steaks before?" Ulic-Nox suggested.

"Amen to that." Ladon agreed.

The ships nav computer started to beep and beep letting them know they were about to arrive, when they dropped out of hyperspace the Nightengale came right into the middle of a massive space battle. T-Wings and Vulture droids were locked in blue and red laser combat as Republic cruisers blasted ad Separatists frigates with their cannons. "KARKING HELL!" Macross screamed as they flew into the battle, grabbing the controls pulling them up.

Everyone held on tight as the Nightengale soared into the dog fight dodging droid and clone ships. "Ladon tell me something, I thought the Reps and Seps weren't anywhere near this part."

"Pooda bosss, I don't know reportsss sssaid nobody suppossed to be here." The trandoshan snapped at him "To the guns, now!"The captain barked, Ladon, Beatnik and Hestia ran to the guns on each side of the ship, Ulic-Nox was about to go to the top gun when his brother grabbed him "No I need you here, Teeseven take the top turret." Macross said grabbing his medallion and kissing it for luck, he looked at it then tucked it under is shirt.

The Astro droid beeped in affirmation and sped to the back of the ship was a crossway hallway with two leaders, Ladon was already sinking into the bottom one, while Beatnik took the left and Hestia the right. Buur was heading to the back swearing as he did "You good for nothing lizard."

"Isss not my fault horn head." Ladon barked back to Buur as Teeseven's legs opened up to clamp onto the ladder and rolled itself up the top plugging into the turret.

"Don't start shooting till they shoot at us." Macross ordered "Are you serious!" Buur yelled into his head set, "And if they I don't know decide shoot us?" Buur asked him.

The Nightingale swerved around the fighters soaring past one of the Republic cruisers, aboard it the Admiral in command of the fleet saw it, he had brown hair and mustache on his lip "Where did that ship come from?" He asked.

"It just dropped out of hyperspace Admiral Yuralen?" One of the bridge crew said from the lower deck.

Back on the Nightengale own bridge Macross was doing his best to get out of the dog fight "I didn't think the Republic had made it out this far?" Ulic-Nox said watching the battle all around them,

"There pushing deeper and deeper into outer rim every day." Macross said pulling a hard right to avoid a swarm of vulture droids, they flew right through a busted separatist frigate that had shattered its haul and was in flames still, "Looks like this battle is almost over anyway, droids are taking a beating." Ladon told them.

Buur scoffed "Droids never make good soldiers, clones ain't much better."

"Clones got the worst end of this war, now keep your eyes out for an opening." Macross told them as they came out of the wreckage to see a Republic war ship rise up past them, he pulled up to avoid a collision forcing him to go back into the dogfight.

"Just like home." Ulic-Nox whispered as he looked out the window and saw something moving very fast towards them "Uh oh."

Macross looked over to see a black and yellow jedi starfighter heading straight for them, but it flew right past them with its pilot looking out at them as he flew by, "Ahsoka you got eyes on that freighter?" Anakin Skywalker asked his young Padawan, she flew up next to him in her own starfighter "Where'd it come from?"

"I don't know doesn't look like a separatist model?" Anakin said while they watched it soared around the fighters without taking a shot or ding from any of them "Hell of a pilot though?" Anakin smirked.

"Civilian?" Ahsoka asked him, ahead of them the Nightingale dodged a set of torpedos not meant for them before a vulture droids that was hit sent its left wing tight into the freighters side shaking it off course "Damn it all." Macross said as the ship shook suddenly getting rattled with laser fire on the top part of the haul.

Beatnik let out a howl in Jawa "What broke?" Macross asked his brother who looked at the ships computer "hyperdrive…"

"Still think this jobs easy?" Buur asked out loud in his seat he suddenly opened fire on any of the ships near them, droid or clone.

Macross and everyone else heard the shooting and looked back "What is that idiot doing he's going to get us killed, pull the power to his gun." He ordered Ulic-Nox who already did it.

"Probably a smuggler, go find out I'll mop this up, this battle is over." Anakin ordered her.

The Padawan pulled off away from him and followed the Nightingale and started to transmit to them. Aboard the bridge, Macross and Ulic-Nox looked at the blinking communications light "Does the holofeed still work?" Macross asked.

Ulic-Nox shook his head "No, but we have audio."

"Good." Macross said as he answered it "Attention freighter, you are not authorized to be here, identify yourself." Ahsoka said into her commas as she was behind in. Buur had his sights trained on her "I have her." Buur told back to Macross.

"Do not shoot, I repeat do not shoot you thick skinned idiot." Macross hissed at him before he answered Ahsoka.

"Yeah sorry about that Jedi, we'll be out of your hair as soon as possible ." Macross said back to her, Ahsoka didn't like the answer or rebuke of identification, suddenly a group of clone T wings appeared behind Ahsoka as she was getting a transmission "Commander Tano, I want that ship brought aboard the cruiser, I want to know how they got here." The small image of Admiral Yuralen appeared in front of her.

The girl nodded "Yes Admiral." Ahsoka said before she switched into attack position

Back on the Nightingale the crew saw the clone fighters start to surround them front to back and top to bottom "Attention freighter, you adjust your flight plan and follow us to our cruiser." She ordered. Macross's face stiffened when he heard it before he replied.

"I'm sure there's no need for that, we just took a wrong turn." He said, the clone ships didn't move from their flight plan around them "Bosss?" Ladon asked squeezing his controls claws on the trigger.

"I'm not sure if medical out ranks you here May, but I prefer not to die in the cold vacuum of space." Hestia added.

Ahsoka frowned at the answer she got, "Change your trajectory and follow us, your ship is damaged we can offer you repairs of you agree to come aboard." She said with a bit more force in her voice.

Macross looked at Ulic-Nox then at the clone fighters, Ulic-Nox shrugged "We do need to repair the hyperdrive." He whispered.

"Copy that jedi." He said in defeat, Ahsoka escorted the Nightingale to the republic cruiser, the other cruiser were everywhere as it made its landing. Its landing gear came out of both cargo hauls, with a ramp lowering down from the right side under the bridge. Admiral Yuralen was already there waiting with a squad of clone troopers including Captain Rex, across from them Anakin hopped out of his fighter and strode over to them admiring the ship, he gave an intrigued whistle as Ahsoka landed next to it and got out to greet them.

"Some catch you made snips?" Anakin said "I wouldn't say so looks like a piece of junk?" She said.

"Why isn't the ramp lowering?" Yuralen asked looking at the ship, it's exhaust was pouring out before it stopped.

"Should I get the men ready to breach General?" Rex asked Anakin, but he got his answer when the ship lowered its ramp, Macross walked out a blaster at his hip, both Buur and Ladon were behind him also sporting blasters there hips. Macross came out with a smile on his face hands up.

"Hi, how are you doing." He said lowering them "Are you the captain of this ship?" Yuralen asked him approaching hands behind his back with the Jedi and clones in two.

Macross nodded "I am, my name is Macross."

"Who are you, what are you doing here?" Ahsoka asked him, he glanced at her then back at the Admiral "We…" he said gesturing back to the crew fumbling with his words "Are just a couple of spacers, shipping some cargo from one port to the next?" He said rubbing his hands together.

Ladon walked up holding the holopad in his claws and offered it to the Admiral, "And tell me Captain, why is a cargo ship so far out here?"

"Good question, you see the hyperspace lanes here cross over so we dropped out to get in position to the next one over, cuts a couple days of our job." Macross told him before he looked over at Ahsoka "And your jedi here offered to help us repair since this whole cluster damaged it."

Admiral Yuralen gave Ahsoka a nasty glare at making such an offer without his consent, he brushed it off and looked back at Macross "We will help with repairs but we will need to inspect your cargo."

Macross smile disappeared "Oh don't worry we can fix it ourselves if you just leave the parts here."

"We'll still need to inspect your cargo to make sure it doesn't have a contraband, we will bring you the parts." Yuralen told him not budging but offering an ultimatum.

Macross hand was on his blaster but he let it to hold up his hand to the Admiral, "Deal Admiral, Mr. Quartermaster you want to get the manifest for him."

"I'd like to see the rest of your crew, our scanners indicated you had more than three lifeforms aboard." Yuralen said shaking his hand still, "Mr. Quartermaster tell everyone to get out of here." Macross ordered letting go of Yuralens hand.

"Yesss sssir." Ladon said heading back into the ship, he walked up the ramp passing by Hestia, Teeseven and Ulic-Nox "They want usss out." Ladon told them.

Hestia sighed shaking her head "Come on kid."

Teeseven beeped at Ulic-Nox who snickered "It's been that long since you were on a Republic Warship?"

"You did what?" Ulic-Nox asked walking out of the ships with the rest of the crew, Ladon following them out with the manifest in his claws and handed it to Captain Rex who was standing there with his men.

"I'll have to verify the cargo with my own eyes." Rex said up to him, Ladon snarled behind his fangs "Thisss way." He said gesturing for him to follow, behind them Beatnik ran around the ship getting most of the clones attention "What is that thing?" Ahsoka asked as it shouted in Jawa looking at the damage.

Anakin heard it and a smile appeared on his face "That's a jawa, I've never seen them off Tatooine, their traders and scavengers Ahsoka but they also know how to fix things."

Macross saw Beatnik running around the lower part of the ship, and already climb up on the landing gear with a splicer "Would you quit it with that Beatnik, their going to bring us the parts just tell me what we need." Macross said bending over to look up into the ship as Beatnik started to tell him what he needed while throwing out the useless parts making a mess as he went to work. Around the front of the ship Buur had found a crate to sit hunched over, Hestia walked over to him and leaned on the crate "You okay?"

"Don't like Republic, like Jedi less." Buur grumbled to her glaring at Anakin from across the hanger "Remember the job, try not to do anything stupid."

Anakin turned to Ahsoka as the clones seemed to have everything under control "Ahsoka, keep an eye on these people I need to go report out Victory to the Chancellor and the Jedi Council." Anakin told her.

"Of course Master." Ahsoka said noticing Buurs mean glare giving him one back, Buur spat on the floor avoiding her gaze. Anakin left her in the hanger with the Nightingale's crew. Inside the ship, Captain Rex was with Ladon and two more clones checking out the cargo when Ahsoka made a quick call to him.

Holding up her wrist to her mouth she spoke "How's it coming Rex?"

"So far so good, should be done soon." Rex told her as she felt something nudge up against her, she looked behind her to see Teeseven looking up at her.

"Where'd you come from little guy?" She asked as it looked at her scanning her face it beeped at her tilting its plate like head a bit at her and beeped at her in "... Ashara Zavros, I think you have me confused?"

The droid made a retort before it scurried off back over to Ulic-Nox he'd wandered off from the Nightingale and sitting under the leg of the ship holding his sketchbook, it was a leather bound book with a leather clip on the edge to keep it sealed. Her brow cocked when she saw him, walking up from behind "What are you drawing?"

Ulic-Nox jumped to his feet and spun around dropping his book, "Where'd you… oh hi." He said seeing her bend over and pick up the book, she looked down to see he was drawing quick sketches of the clone troopers in there armor, one picture was a detailed sketch of a helmet.

"Sorry didn't mean to startle you, here." Ahsoka said offering him the book "T-thanks, and its alright I just was trying to remember the one with the blue marks on his helmet." Ulic-Nox told her, Teeseven beeped at him from the side getting his attention.

"Hmmm yeah I could see how you thought she looked like Ashara." He said back to the droid rubbing his head "Um who's Ashara?"

Ulic-Nox waved her off "Don't worry about, just someone Teeseven use to know."

"Was she a jedi?" Ahsoka asked "Yep." Ulic-Nox said making Ahsoka open her mouth then shut it "Droid gets around I see." She bent over and looked at the droids serial number it was so worn down she could barely read it "hmmm T7-O1…" Ahsoka's eyes got wide.

Looking back at Ulic-Nox standing up she noticed they were about the same height not counting her lekku, "Your droid is ancient, literally."

Teeseven answered for himself beeping at her rapidly, Ahsoka turned a different shade of orange, Ulic-Nox grabbed his mouth to stifle a laugh "Say that again droid and we'll be giving your master and upgraded model." Ahsoka hissed.

The Astro droid beeped at her again "Partner?" She asked looking at a blushing smiling Ulic-Nox "Oh yeah, Teeseven isn't my droid more like I'm his human-" when he saw her confusion "Look we're partners, plain and simple." He finished resting his hand on the droid's head.

She crossed her arms smirking in disbelief "How'd that happen?"

Ulic-Nox looked over to the broken parts Beatnik was throwing out of the ship before it dropped down its brown robe stained in black spots "See that jawa over there."

"Hard not to." Ahsoka said as it ran to the clones bringing up the crates of repair materials, they backed away as soon as Beatnik chucked a wrench at them starting to look through the crates for random parts.

"Well after my brother and I stopped by Tatooine to see a pod race, we found Beatnik on the run from some Hutt thugs he owed money, we helped square the debt and got him as a mechanic though he had a bunch of junk within he desperately wished to bring and trade, Teeseven was one of them but Beatnik never said he was able to fix him until I touched it." Ulic-Nox said, Teeseven happily made some droid speak to them "No you're not junk, you're right you're perfect." Ulic-Nox told the droid repeating what it had said.

Ahsoka looked at the droid scratching her chin "Teeseven, Teeseven that name sounds so familiar?"

"Well like you said he's an old droid, so… I'm Ulic-Nox." He said realizing he hadn't introduced himself "Ahsoka, Ahsoka Tano."

"Oh you want last name too?" He asked her, she gave an obvious nod of sarcasm "Shan, Ulic-Nox Shan." meanwhile, up on the bridge Anakin was standing next to Admiral Yuralen in front of the ship's holoterminal. The bridge was abustle with clones in navel uniforms and troopers reporting to other fleets at the changing map.

In holographic form above the General and Admiral, was the Supreme Chancellor with Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu and Yoda, "We are pleased to hear of your success in the system, what about this merchant ship?" Master Kenobi asked them.

"It doesn't appear on any official records, we thought it might be smugglers but Captain Rex hasn't found anything out of hate ordinary aboard their cargo so far." Anakin told him.

"Then we should probably release them Master Jedi, these seems like a small inconvenience for our fleet?" Chancellor Palpatine said to the Council members.

The Jedi thought it over for a second "That maybe Chancellor, Skywalker examine the ship thoroughly and run the faces of its crew through our records I want to know more about these 'merchants'." Mace ordered Anakin who gave a nod before they cut the transmission.

Skywalker turned to Admiral Yuralen who shared his concerned look "Corporal, do an X-ray of the ships interior scan for hidden compartments." Yuralen ordered a nearby bridge clone who knocked his head in confirmation.

Meanwhile back down in the hanger, Captain Rex walked down the ramp with Ladon behind him "Your cargo is cleared quartermaster, thank you for your compliance." Rex told Ladon while holding the datapad showing the manifest, he gave it back to Ladon who bowed in gratitude.

"To you asss well Captain, may the Force be with you." Rex and his brothers were a bit surprised at his courtesy "Never Wears a trandoshan say that." Rex chuckled back.

"Most have never met a trandossshan like me." Ladon hissed back between his fangs as the hangers security cameras scanned each of their faces back to the bridge.

Ladon face came up first in front of Anakin and the Admiral, the image scanned millions of trandoshans before a mug shot appeared "Ladon, an ex Trandoshan bounty hunter wanted in numerous systems but the reports claim he eighteen years ago?" Yuralen said next to Anakin who scratched his chin "Doesn't look like it, scan the others."

Hestia was still next to Buur waiting on the ship to be repaired, the cameras scanned both their faces for analysis and two more images appeared "Hestia Kree and Buur Gal, apparently washed out of the Arkannian Medical school after she stole an entire shipment of bacta, impressive?" Anakin said while Yuralen read Buur's profile "I'm glad you think so, this Buur Gal is a former mercenary disavowed by my word that's a lot of mercenary companies." Admiral Yuralen said reading the list with even a few bounties on him.

"Both of them have bounties on them, she's worth 20,000 credits and he's worth double?" Anakin said as the clone who had been ordered to scan the ship was almost done.

Back in the hanger, Macross was walking next to Beatnik as they sorted through the supplies the clones had brought him "No, no, no we need to a new cuplink not a transponder for the hyperdrive."

Beatnik snapped at him in jawa making Macross roll his eyes "Of course I know it's my ship." He said not knowing he was being scanned.

"Macross Shan and the Jawa known as Beatnik, there bounties are all cartel based." Anakin said reading the reports "Hutts, Black Sun, Spice Cartels these two have a nasty habit of stealing from just everyone, 60,000 each?" Anakin read.

Anakin and Yuralen shut if off looking to the clone in charge of scanning the ship "Anything inside the ship they didn't tell us about?" Anakin asked the clone, the trooper looked behind to them "Y-yes sir but you should come and see."

He walked over to the troopers screen and bent over looking at a holographic scan "Multiple hidden compartments, we're picking up multiple metal signatures from the, look like blasters rifles and heavy ordinance." Anakin's face turned grim standing up arms crossed "So they are Smugglers, what do you want to do Admiral."

Anakin didn't get an answer, Admiral Yuralen had pulled up Ulic's image through their system and was speechless "Admiral?" Anakin asked seeing the boys picture up on the holoscreen, there was no record of him other than his name Ulic-Nox Shan, no criminal past not even birthdate but a bounty worth more than all the others combined "One million?" Anakin read aloud looking at Admiral Yuralen.

"Give the command?" Admiral Yuralen said over to Anakin "Understood."


	2. A Captain's Duty, A Brother's Love

"This is from Cato Nemodia, we had just finished bringing an artist's entire collection to this rich snob there, and the sight of their cities…. I had a few hours to kill and the light was just right." Ulic-Nox was sitting next to Ahsoka on her starfighter showing her his sketchpad, she was looking at a drawing of a city suspended on a bridge between two large stone mountains. The drawing was made mostly in pin, with almost every detail captured from the point of view from the artist, Ulic. He had sketched the city's shadows from the sun with clouds shaded just right they blended in so well.

Ahsoka looked at the drawing and then at Ulic "These are really good." She said turning the page, the next drawing of both Ladon and Teeseven playing holochess. Together, there was some writing in the corner "Twenty second round of the Ladon v T7 holochess tournament, Ladon zero T7 twenty two?" Ahsoka said reading the note.

"Seems pointless to duel a droid?" Ahsoka asked Ulic-Nox, the blonde crossed his arms tilting his head back and forth a few times "Pointless to duel a trandoshan considering they can bite your head off."

Her attention went back to the drawing she turned it over to show a herd of Reeks, they were grazing on a grass field there three horned heads in the grass, there was even a calf five times smaller than the bull it was next to. There were clouds in the distance showing plateaus of sunshine. The page next to droids of different types. She turned the next two pages, both fully drawn to a scenic backdrop of a great forest, towering wroshyr tree poked out of the woods but the outline of the pages was vines and branches.

"Is this Kashyyyk?" She asked him, he nodded "Had to climb this crazy big tree, when I got to the top I-" "You climbed a wroshyr tree?" Ahsoka asked him.

He looked at her a blinked "... yeah, anyway when I got to the top there was this big bird- not big loca stoopa echuta massive ike bigger than

your gunships."

"Is there a drawing of it?" Ahsoka asked him "No it tried to eat, then it picked me up flew me over the forest in its talons before it dropped me." Ulic-Nox sighed shaking his head at the memory.

Ahsoka gave him a doubtful look before asking "Did you die?"

"Yes- but I lived." UIlic-Nox replied she turned the next page and it got her attention, there was a drawing of three people, a man and a woman with a little boy in front of them, and a baby held in the woman's arms. The man had thick locks of hair with a mustache wearing deep shaded garments of Republic fashion, with baggy sleeves. The woman next to him had both sides of her hair shaved, wearing a sleeveless tunic, she had thick muscular arms with bracelets around her wrists, the little boy had hair like the man but a face like the woman. Ahsoka looked over at Macross seeing the similarity. He was working on a loose valve that was steaming trying to tighten the bolt when it popped off with a loud ping.

"Look out!" Macross yelled as the bolt bounced off the floor of the hanger and underbelly of the Nightingale like a bullet before it zipped all the way toward the two kids sitting together. Without looking Ulic-Nox held up his gloved hand and caught it, he hadn't even noticed it until the pain of catching the stray metal bolt traveled into his hand and up his arm.

He dropped it waving his hand back and forth "Ow, that stings." he mumbled before he noticed Ahsoka was on the portrait page but was oblivious to her staring of his heightened reflex.

Ulic-Nox noticed her gaze a second later "Macross before that stupid beard." Ulic-Nox told her, he and Beatnik were still working on the ship and almost looked done as a group of clone troopers brought them another crate. Across from them Captain Rex had returned to the hanger his helmet on as other clones walking into the hanger.

"And these are… your parents?" She asked looking at them, she dragged her finger across them.

The boy reached for the book slowly "Yeah, the datafile that had there pictures was damaged beyond repair, so before the battery died I drew this, so I don't forget. Must sound stupid to a jeedai cheekai like you, kid drawing his mom and dad."

He closed the book and robbed the leather his eyes wandering over to her lightsaber. Ahsoka saw him looking at it and took it off her belt and offered it to him "Here."

"Grab him!" a set of clone gauntlets grabbed Ulic-Nox from behind pulling him off the crate "What are you doing, let him go." Ahsoka snapped. When Ladon saw the boy get grabbed the trandoshan opened its jaws and roared charging right at the clones. Rex came running up blasters drawn "Nobody move your all under arrest." he said shooting a stun blast at Ladon making him fall to his knees Hestia and Buur shot up from their spot and before the advoze could draw his two blasters they were surrounded by clones, Beatnik and Macross also found themselves looking down the sights of clone blasters.

Ahsoka looked at the clones in shock "Rex what is going on."

"Sorry for the sudden surprise Commander, but General Skywalker discovered they were smuggling weapons and all have bounties on there head." Rex said pointing his blaster at Ulic-Nox who was looking up at Ahsoka in terror.

Later, all six of them were in the cruisers brig all sharing separate cells, Ahsoka was with Rex standing outside Ulic-Nox's cell he was sitting alone on a bench hands clasped rubbing them. The elevator lift opened and out walked Anakin with artoo behind him at his heels when he walked into the brig.

"Good work Rex did they offer any resistance?" Anakin asked her.

"No sir, we secured their weapons and are examining the weapons about the ship as we speak." Captain Rex told him.

"Good work Captain, Obi-Wan will be joining us for the interrogation when our fleets join together." Anakin said before he turned his attention to Ahsoka, "Ahsoka good work keeping that boy distracted."

Ahsoka looked back into the cell at Ulic-Nox who looked back at her then looked away at the floor "I don't see why, he doesn't seem that dangerous."

Anakin looked into the cell "Looks can be deceiving Ahsoka, they all have bounties on their heads him especially."

"For what drawing?" She asked.

"Drawing?" Anakin asked "Nothing he showed me some book he has." Ahsoka said dismissing it, Anakin put his hands behind his back and started to walk down the brig hallway looking at each of their prisoners. She followed him taking a similar posture.

"Despite mostly fighting droids Snips, it's the duty of jedi to make sure criminals like these don't get off free, who knows what kind of damage they'd unleash if they delivered those weapons." Anakin said when he heard somebody chuckling.

The two Jedi looked over at the smugglers cell to see Macross up against the door "You find something funny smuggler?"

"I do Jeedai, man can't make an honest living in this galaxy?" Macross asked him.

"You're smuggling weapons, I hardly call that honest." Anakin told him.

Macross shook his head "Its called fair trade you echuta, I wouldn't expect a Jedi like you to understand that Skywalker."

"You know me? I guess my reputation precedes me" Anakin smiled and asked Macross walking up to the laser wall, Macross leaned up closer onto the cell doorway looking up at him "Sure, the slave who won his freedom became a Jedi Knight way beyond the appropriate age… and turned his back on his own people, CHUBA DOOMPA, DOPA-MASKEY KUNG!" Macross shouted hurling a huttese insult into Anakin's face.

Ahsoka's eyes got wide hearing the insult and looking to see how her master would react, but he held his temper "The force doesn't see people it sees everything and I see smuggler trying to justify breaking the law."

"And I see a republic lap dog who leads an army of slaves." Macross said turning around and sitting back down.

The jedi walked away from his cell his apprentice following him "Master are you okay?"

"Master?" Ahsoka asked again when he didn't answer "I'm fine." He said as she saw his leather gloves squeezed tight under his grip. They walked into the elevator and when it shut the door Ahsoka decided to press the issue.

"What did he mean by turning our backs?" She asked.

Anakin took a deep breath "The Separatists may use a droid army Ahsoka, but there are people who support the movement they aren't fight like we are so they don't know how cruel the droids and Dooku's thugs can be."

"So do you think these people are separatist sympathizers?" She asked.

"Maybe, how that Macross spoke it makes me think so we'll know more when Obi-Wan arrives." Anakin said.

Ahsoka could sense the unease in her master's voice "We should check out the droids data banks it may have clues to who hired them?"

"Droid, Rex didn't report a droid." Anakin said looking at her quickly

Anakin held up his wrist communicator "Captain Rex be on the lookout for a droid, we think it slipped away when you made the arrests."

Captain Rex was walking through the hallways with some of his men as he heard Anakin's orders heh ears the sound of wheels behind him and looked over to see Teeseven freeze when he and it made eye contact "Copy that sit would it be an Astro droid, older model with yellow markings?"

"That's it." Ahsoka said on the other end.

"I see it- hey you stop!" Rex yelled at Teeseven who scurried off in the other direction, Anakin bought the elevator to a stop on the same floor. They saw Teeseven speeding down another hallway when they left the lift and chased it.

"After it!" Anakin ordered, they sprinted up next to Rex.

The Jedi and clone chased the droids round a corner, they ran after it and froze when they saw Teeseven had stopped it had frozen in place looking right up at Obi-Wan Kenobi, recently arrived. Teeseven was looking up at his face, the droid appeared to be thinking its lights flashing on and off. "I see you all have been busy?" Obi-Wan said kneeling down in front of the droid "A T7 model, these haven't been used since the days of the old Republic?"

Teeseven beeped at Obi-Wan "Ven? I'm afraid you've confused me with another."

"Rex get a restraining bolt on this droid and take it to the brig." Anakin ordered walking up to his old mentor "This is one of the smugglers droid, we've arrested all of them and are overlooking their contraband."

Obi-Wan put his hands behind his back "Then let's begin this interrogation if the amount of ordinance is as you say we need to know who or what for, Ahsoka can you handle the droid?" Anakin asked.

"Sure thing, Teeseven do you want to go see Ulic-Nox?" She asked the droid, Teeseven turned its head around looking at her beeping.

"No not Ashara, Ahsoka." She said as she led it away back to the brig.

Obi-Wan scratched his beard hearing it call her by another name too "Strange, I've never known a droid to confuse sentients before?" He said curious next to Anakin "We'll interrogate them one at a time, let's start with the Captain."

Later, both Anakin and Obi-Wan were standing in the interrogation room in the brig, both of Macross's hands were in cuffs in front of them. Anakin was standing to the side as Obi-Wan sat down across from him.

"Where were the weapons going?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Macross looked at him blank faced then at Anakin "None of your business jedi."

"Then why were you smuggling them?" Obi-Wan asked "Because someone paid me to."

"With how you spoke to my friend before you met me, I sense that's a lie." Obi-Wan said back to him.

Macross glared at Anakin "I'm just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe." Macross said as he leaned back in his seat.

"Your crew has a strange history Captain, a bounty hunter returned from the dead, drop out doctor, possible the first jawa to be a mechanic instead of a salvager, a droid older than all of us put together, a mercenary with a record longer then our ship and a boy…." Obi-Wan said taking out Ulic-Nox's sketch book and started to turn through its pages.

Macross tensed up when he heard the word 'boy' "Who has the largest bounty in recent years, but no crimes or record to speak off you can see how this has captured our curiosity my friend." Obi-Wan said still turning through the drawings he stopped at the portrait of their family but moved on a few more. Then Obi-Wan froze at what he saw, it was a drawing of a Star compass, it was engraved with astromeridian etch lines, there was an open one to on the page showing the innards of the bezel design. Anakin walked over to see what had shaken Obi-Wan so much, When Anakin saw it he looked up at Macross his eyes like daggers.

"Explain this?" Anakin asked taking the book and throwing it on the table in front of Macross, he looked at it his face like stone but behind his vacant gaze the jedi could see worry.

"Kid draws a lot." Anakin looked at the compass and saw that there was a string attached to the drawing and then looked up at Macross's neck seeing the string. Pacing around the table he grabbed Macross who swore at him in huttese before Anakin pulled out the medallion around his neck to reveal the actual star compass made of solid gold.

He tore it off his neck "Talk, how did you get this compass what jedi did you steal this from?" Anakin demanded.

Macross had his head bowed and looking up in a glare "Didn't steal it from anyone and you have no right to take it jeedai."

"Liar." Anakin said retreating back "Bolla tah hell Jeedai, you come out here into our space like you own it, you Republic dogs think you own everything that compass and that book belongs to us and so does everything on my ship." Macross said up to him.

"Tell us where you were taking it, who hired you?" Obi-Wan asked again, Macross spat at the floor and said no more. Anakin and Obi-Wan gave each other looks before Anakin sighed "This is getting us nowhere, let's bring in the other crew."

After Macross was returned to their cell, Ladon was sitting across from the jedi "Where were you taking the weapons." Ladon said nothing he only looked at the desk in front of him.

His silence made Obi-Wan take out a datapad from the table, he pulled up a holographic image of a younger Ladon he was wearing a red hunters suit with fur on his collar holding a blaster rifle "Ladon the Lethal they called you, you were one of the most sought after Bounty Hunters in the galaxy, then you died yet here you are?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Ladon said nothing "You already have a record your faked death won't expunge them." Anakin said leaning on the wall arms crossed.

The trandoshan was still silent "Answer us trando?" Anakin asked again but still Ladon said nothing.

Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder at Anakin and shook his head "Bring in the woman."

After Ladon was taken out Hestia, was brought in "Where are you taking the weapons?"

Hestia didn't say anything either, she was quiet like a mouse looking at Obi-Wan, this made him raise an eyebrow as Anakin waited for him to speak "Do you know how long you go away for smuggling a payload this large?" Anakin asked her.

Her only answer was silence, "Bring in the advoze unless you speak Jawa Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked him, "No." Anakin said as he grabbed Hestia by the shoulder and pulled her to her feet she pulled away and walked herself out of the cell.

"Very odd for Smugglers to be so tight lip, honor amongst thieves?" Anakin

said as they watched her walk out being led by two clones back to the cell.

Obi-Wan was looking at the drawings in Ulic-Nox's book "Perhaps, but I sense more is at work here each we know their Captain is no friend to the Republic."

"Or jedi." Anakin added seeing her be put back in the cell "Perhaps this mercenary you've told me about will be easier to coherence with some compensation."

Outside the interrogation room, Ahsoka walked up to the cells as they took Buur out from the cell leading him down to Anakin and Obi-Wan. She watched them shove the hulking advoze into the interrogation cell and sat down across from Obi-Wan, "Ahsoka?"

She looked into the cell that belonged to Ulic-Nox to see the frightened boys face "Teeseven, where is he?"

The Padawan looked at the interrogation room to see both Masters preoccupied with Buurs interrogation to notice her "We've secured your droid, we're going to start scanning its memory banks." Ulic's tan face went white as a clone trooper armor he started to shake his head.

"Bad idea, bad da sa really bad idea." He said shaking his head "Teesevens memory bank is damaged, corrupted it's why he gets confused when he meets people you plug him into your ship your going to hurt him even more?" Ulic-Nox said his voice trembling. "It's a droid it can't feel pain?" She said shaking her head and trying to give him a comforting smile but he just backed away into his cell. Ahsoka walked away back towards the brig entrance leaving the crew alone, inside it the crew of the Nightingale were sitting in silence.

"Why are they doing this Macross?" Ulic-Nox asked sitting next to him.

Ladon and Hestia met his concerned gaze "Because the Jedi and the Republic forgot they are." Marcross said putting his hand on his shoulder.

"The Republic was- is supposed to be a symbol of freedom and justice in the galaxy, that the Jedi are peacekeepers who fight to defend life not take it or enslave it to do the same, there lost. They care more about profit about the rich and powerful keeping those things while we suffer out here." Macross said leaning back on the cell wall.

"And one day, somebody will make stand, somebody will say no more but before they can we have to be strong, you have to be strong." Macross told him squeezing his shoulder.

"Strong, why would I need to be-?" "Ulic you need to listen to me, you may need to do your thing." Macross told him pulling him close.

The boy's eyes filled with terror, he got up backing away from his brother "Nope, no way the last time I did that we…. you don't know what your asking!"

Macross got up about to talk him down "I do, I know it scares you but that Padawan said there going to plug into Teeseven, you remember when those Black Sun koochoos?"

The boy paced back and forth to the cell "That was different, you guys almost died I had to… I had to do something, but these are Jedi, big brother. The ones mom and dad told us we could always trust." Ulic-Nox said trying to reason with Macross, Macross stood up hands on his hips.

"Those aren't the same Jedi from the stories, these are Generals in the Republic Army, that little Padawan cheeka you were acting all sweet with is a trained killer." Macross hissed.

"So is Ladon and he makes us cookies." Ulic-Nox retorted pointing to Ladon who was hunched over in his seat, he held up his claws "I don't want any part of thisss."

Hestia crossed both her arms and legs "Ugh, can you two not have a philosophical argument while we're locked in a Republic brig."

"Oh I'm sorry is me being the only one with a plan ruining your prison sentence Doc?" Macross spun around asking her with a hand up, Hestia was about to say something back but Macross interrupted her "It's not, good, now shut up- Ulic we need to get the shipment to the drop off its beyond important."

Back in the interrogation room both Anakin and Obi-Wan were left with more questions than answers "So this Buur character is just hired muscle, only knows they were carrying weapons 'nothing out of the ordinary' smugglers I hate them." Anakin said pacing in the cell. Obi-Wan had been examining the drawing of Macross and Ulic-Nox's parents at some length.

"I think this boy will be more forthcoming, do you sense it?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"Sensed wha-..." Anakin asked when he felt Ulic-Nox coming toward them "... I do." Ulic-Nox was brought into the interrogation room both Jedi's eyes on him as he sat down.

Obi-Wan got up from his seat holding the drawing book "Young man I believe this is yours, fine work." Obi-Wan said handing him the book. Ulic took it "Th-thank you master jeedai- I mean jedi." He said correcting himself.

"Now I know this may come as a difficult request, but you need to tell us who hired your brothers crew and where you were taking the weapons?"

Ulic-Nox's face went blank, his right brow raised over his left and he opened his mouth with "Weapons?"

Elsewhere in the ship, inside communications relay station, Teeseven was forced to wear a restraining bolt on its head just aside its oculus lense. It was clamped down on a table with Captain Rex and some clones around it, one of them was holding a cord to plug into the droid but was having trouble when Ahsoka walked in. "Rex how's the information extraction coming?" she asked.

"Well…?" Rex said back to her, she noticed the clones were looking around the droid and all its ports "This droids so old all its ports are outdated, none of our equipment can download any of his data." the clone with the plug said dropping it.

Ahsoka walked up to the droid "Teeseven, how can we access your memory bank?" she asked.

The droid cocked its head before it asked her something "What it say?" Rex asked her.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes "Well it called me by somebody named Ashara again and wants to know why I haven't taken it to Ulic-Nox yet?"

"The boy?" Rex asked her.

"Yep, I'll let you go back to Ulic once you let us see your memory deal?" she asked the droid holding out her hand.

Rex leaned in by her lekku "Commander what are you doing?" Rex asked.

"This droids so old we need to negotiate with it." Ahsoka said before Teeseven extended it frontal arm and shook her hand beeping.

"Right… but it's still Ahsoka." she said before Teeseven opposed its other compartment an extended its own plug in which was a modern R7 units one, it jacked into the tables system.

Over next to the monitor the other clones were at "Data transfer beginning."

"Hmm guess there was nothing to worry about?" Ahsoka said as the droids system started to sync in with the ship's computer.

"Worry about what Commander?" Rex asked her.

Hands on her hips she shrugged "That boy said his memory bank was corrupted must have been lying to save his own skin."

Just then Teesevens lights went dark, followed by the entire room going out "What the-" Teesevens main oculus came on and the droid let out an astrodroid yell when all the lights came back on flashing, the computers started to burst and explode around them. Rex grabbed Ahsoka and pulled her close shielding her with his armor "Take cover."

"What's it doing?" Ahsoka asked crawling under the table with the clone captain. The clone by the monitor looked at the screen and saws the ships files being opened one after another "Its stealing all ships files-"

The monitor in front of the clone exploded by the walls and ceiling starting to erupt, this was going on everywhere across the ship even in the bridge where the Admiral and his staff were trying to figure out why ever light and bulb in the bridge was either blinking, off or exploding. The holographic table was also short circuiting between images of the message that Anakin and the Admiral had gotten from the Chancellor and Jedi Council, to a twi'lek dancing girl, cantina music and even images of Jedi and Republic troopers of old. All the way down in the brig the parts on the control console were erupting in small explosions with flashing lights.

"What's Going on?" Obi-Wan asked standing up, Ulic-Nox held his hands up from the desk.

"Uh oh." Ulic-Nox said looking at Anakin when all the laser doors on the cells opened up. The jedi looked out into the brig and heard two people yelling both Ladon and Buur came charging out of their cell toward the clone troops still stunned from the small explosions charging them. Ladon through the first clone into the wall and Buur grabbed the second snapping his neck before they picked up their blasters. Anakin and Obi-Wan unsheathed their lightsabers and ran out of the cell toward Macross and Hestia as they came out of the cell.

"NO!" Ulic-Nox screamed holding up his hands.

The jedi froze, literally both Anakin and Obi-Wan along with their lightsabers were frozen in place just outside the interrogation room. Ladon received the brigs warden of his restraints key and unlocked each of their cuffs, when they hit the floor Macross smiled holding his cuffs.

"Buur get our gear." He ordered "Sure thing." Buur grumbled walking out of the hallway to the evidence locker.

Macross meanwhile walked up to Anakin and Obi-Wan smiling as Ulic-Nox came out looking at his hand rubbing it.

"I believe this is mine." Macross said taking out the star compass from Anakins robes. Beatnik ran up to Obi-Wan and Anakin and kicked both men in the shins making them wince in pain but still unable to move "You'll never… hnnn escape." Obi-Wan stammered in his frozen spot.

Anakin and Obi-Wan were still frozen, each of the Jedi tried to struggle out of the trance but they couldn't move and inch "What-rrr did you—- do to us?" Anakin asked.

Macross didn't answer he only snickered as Buur came up behind them handing everyone their blaster belts. "A taste of your own medicine Republic stooge, made you feel helpless, trapped you like a wild animal..." When Macross got his blaster he took it out of the holster without putting his belt on pointing it toward Anakin "Waiting to be slaughtered."

"Big Brother." Ulic-Nox jumped in between him and Anakin.

"Get out of the way Ulic." Macross ordered, the older boys brown eyes burned with a bloody rage.

Ulic-Nox didn't move "We don't need to kill them!" Macross gritted his teeth eyes going from Anakin to Ulic-Nox, thinking on the question to or not to pull the trigger.

Buur rolled his dark black eyes "Move it brat." Buur reached for Ulic-Nox but Macross turned his sights on the mercenary "You touch him you die."

The merc held up each hand slowly and backed off growling out "...Sure thing boss."

Macross gazed back at Ulic-Nox "How long will they stay like this?" Macross asked, Ulic-Nox looked at Obi-Wan who was looking up his frozen shivering body trying to break free "I- I don't know, come on lets just go get Teeseven and get out of here."

Macross glared at the Jedi "We spared you jedi, he spared you remember that." He said before he turned around "Get any weapons we can find, Hestia, Buur, Beatnik go get the Nightingale ready, Ladon- Ulic with me." Macross told them as they walked away. Beatnik was handed Buurs clone blaster when he had both of his hand cannons, Ulic-Nox was about to follow them when he heard Obi-Wan.

"Wait!" Obi-Wan cried out, Ulic-Nox froze "Who- who taught you?"

Ulic turned around slowly "What?"

"Little brother come on." Macross yelled from the elevator that Ladon was forcefully opening, next to him Beatnik was rewiring the controls to work as the systems were still going haywire.

The boy faced the jedi clutching his book tight, "Taught me?"

"Don't- be coi-coi, you've been— trained." Anakin hissed.

Ulic-Nox just stared at them before he ran away back to the safety of his crew.

Anakin and Obi-Wan continued to struggle in the force induced freeze "Any bright ideas Anakin?"

"Whats with the- sarcasm master…?" Anakin asked him.

"You-you're the one who— arrested them?" Obi-Wan sassed back.

The rest of the ship was in no better shape, more then half the bridge panels had blown fuses and entire keyboards onto the floor, a quarter of the lights were out and the ship was starting to drift around the rest of the fleet. "What hit us?" Admiral Yuralen asked his nearest clone.

One of them with a scar on the right side of is head looked at him baffled "We're not sure Admiral, every system went down there only just now coming back online."

"Contact the rest of the fleet and get General Skywalker up here immediently, we need to know what's going on."

Down below them in the communications system where the epicenter of the attack had happened, the room was filled with smoke and darkness. Rex and Ahsoka came out from under the table "Guess that kid wasn't lying?" Rex said seeing the entire system had been totaled.

"Rex!" Ahsoka said loudly when she saw Teeseven was gone, "Little tiny bolted." Rex hissed when he picked up the restraining bolt that had been Teeseven off the floor.

Ahsoka raised her comlink "Master the smugglers droid it, it released some virus on the system what's your status?"

No answer came back for at least a minute "Master, Master Kenobi do you read?" Ahsoka asked unaware that both men were still frozen in places hearing her but unable to respond.

"Rex, I'm going down to the brig to make sure their okay get your men and find that droid." Ahsoka ordered him not wanting to waste any time, Rex nodded under his helmet visor "Yes commander."

The smugglers on the other hand had a head start, inside the hanger some clones were recovering from the surge just as the door opened, Buur and Beatnik burst through the doors with blasters ready shooting at any clones near them, Hestia brought up the rear holding a clone blaster covering their flanks she shot the door as it closed behind them "Beatnik did you and the Captain fix the engines?" She asked walking up to the ship.

Beatnik replied in jawa at her "Oh thats right… I DON'T UNDERSTAND JAWA!" She screamed at him.

Beatnik jumped out of is hat at her before it leaned forward holding a thumbs up "Ooooo kkkaaaay." It tried to say in basic

"Good enough, Buur get on the guns on the port, Beatnik take starboard." Hestia ordered him, Buur smiled a toothy grin with gold teeth "Finally I get to shoot something."

Elsewhere aboard the cruiser, Macross and Ladon were running forward through the hallways of the ship, Ulic-Nox was behind them looking left and right in terror before Macross grabbed Ulic and slammed him against the wall with Ladon and himself. "Shhh clones dead ahead." Macross said in a hushed voice trying to keep themselves hidden against the wall.

Ulic watched the clones rushing forward past the three of them "We got to get out of here fast, we get pinned down we're dead." Ladon told them checking down the other hallway to see a patrol of clones heading another way.

"Don't shoot unless they shoot first, once we find Teeseven we'll send a distress signal."

"A distress signal to who?" Ulic-Nox asked.

Macross sighed "Anyone who will listen."

The continued on after the coast was clear, running forward before taking a left and a right when out of nowhere Teeseven flew down a hallway tackling Ulic-Nox into the floor beeping happily. Ulic pushed him off the wind knocked out of him coughing "I- cough- cough missed you to partner." Ulic said rubbing the droids head.

"Enough time for reunions later, Teeseven open a system wide channel for broadcast."

"System wide, Macross we don't have time." Ladon said to him keeping an eye on the corridors.

"We don't…" Macross said in agreement, a small satellite popped out of teesevens head and started to rotate before it pinged for a clear signal, a red light next to Teesevens head came on showing it was recording.

Macross took a deep breath "To anyone who gets this message, I am Macross Shan, Captain of the Nightingale we were enroute on a routine shipment when our ship unknowingly flew into a battle with the Republic and Confedarcy. We had no intention of getting involved in the war but we were transporting weapons to local farmers in the outer rim who just wanted to defend their farms." Macross said, his broadcast was going out not just through the system but up to the bridge where Admiral Yuralen and his clones saw it.

"How are they broadcasting this, find out how?" The Admiral barked as Macross went on.

"We were detained for just trying to make some money and help some people too, but the Republic doesn't want anyone to have a blaster or weapons except them its how they make the rules how its always been. Right now we're trying to escape but if we don't I'm sending this message to set the record straight… for to long the Republic and Core worlds have dictated the destiny of the galaxy and the Outer Rims especially, now I don't know if the Confedarcy is any better but this war is going nowhere and people like us are suffering." Macross said into the camera.

Ulic-Nox and Ladon were looking down both hallways "Hurry up Macross." Ladon whispered to him.

"We are not criminals, we just want to be free to live our lives the Republic will say we're smugglers or terrorists for what we're trying to do, I leave that up to you the people to decide… thank you." Macross held up his blaster and dragged it across the air in front of his neck to signal Teeseven to cut the broadcast.

Ulic-Nox starred up at his brother rising slowly "Weapons, wer'e smuggling weapons?" Ulic-Nox asked him.

Macross didn't say anything "I didn't want you to be involved."

"Weapons, gaggalak mursto, you promised we'd stay out of this you said the war was stupid." Ulic almost screamed at his brother "It is stupid but we had to pick a side." Macross said back to him.

"A side, a side, whose side your wallets?" Ulic-Nox accused pointing a finger at him.

"It's not that sssimple." Ladon told him with a forked tongue, Ulic-Nox gapped at the trandoshan "Ladon you knew about this?" The boy asked.

Macross grabbed his little brother by the arm dragging him forward "We can talk about this later, but once we're out of here."

Ulic pushed him off walking on his own "Come on Teeseven."

Inside the hanger the rest of the crew was in a tight spot, the Nightingale's shields were up keeping them safe from clone blaster fire as Burr and Beatnik fended off the clones that surrounded them. Every time one squad or group would try to flank them from the engines, Hestia fired the engines to push them back behind safe cover.

"Hurry up Macross." Hestia said to herself in the captain's chair seeing the clones were starting to set up an E-Web turret.

Down in the brig, Ahsoka had managed to get out of the elevator shaft carving an opening out of the door. When she saw Obi-Wan and Anakin frozen she rushed toward them "Master what, what happened?" she asked confused.

"Th-the boy he fore us." Anakin tried to say "Li-like nothing I've- ever seen." Obi-Wan added, Ahsoka looked back in the interrogation room to see Ulic had left behind his sketchbook.

"Can you get us out of here…. snips?" Anakin asked her, she snapped back to attention trying to think "I-I'll try."

Ahsoka held up both her hands to each jedi and focused on them, she reached into the force at both Jedi and-

_She collapsed onto the floor and when she looked up she saw both her Master and his Master were gone, she was on them bridge of a ship she didn't recognize. Starfighters and cruisers of models she couldn't even begin to identify were locked in epic combat outside the glass of the bridge, but in front of her she knew exactly what she saw. A group of black clad Sith warriors al holding red lightsabers she reached for own lightsaber to react when out from behind his ear sprung five jedi all wielding different colored lightsabers rush past her, two were blue, one green one purple and one yellow held by a woman in orange and brown robes. _

_The jedi engaged the Sith warriors at the end of the bridge fighting with grace and fury engaging them quickly. Ahsoka watched the woman with the yellow lightsaber flip over one Sith cutting him down before she engaged another who was guarding the last Sith who watched arms crossed behind them. She couldn't get a good look at his face, he appeared more shadow them man. That's when she new this was no mere Sith, this was a Sith Lord as he watched the woman with the yellow lightsaber activate the other end of it showing it to be double bladed and cut down her opposition. _

_Each other jedi finished off their own opponents and surrounded the Sith Lord he reached to his belt and Ahsoka saw him pull out a blade of fire twirling around ready for combat. _

_The jedi woman raised her hand pointing at him and said "You cannot win-" _

"Ahsoka?"

She awoke to see the face of her Master looking at her, she had collapsed onto the floor back on the brig of their cruiser "Master, what where are the other jedi where's the Sith Lord?"

"Sith Lord?" Obi-Wan asked shocked.

Anakin helped her to her feet "On your feet Padawan, we need to catch those smugglers."

"Rex what's your status?" Anakin asked him.

Rex was on another level running after the escaped prisoners reunited with Teeseven "We're in pursuit of the prisoners, there heading to the hanger." Rex said with a squad of clones behind them shooting after the smugglers.

"Head down, head down!" Macross told Ulic Nox who had both hands over his head as he ran, Macross and Ladon fired over him and Teeseven back at the clones.

"Don't let them get to their ship, we'll try to cut them off." Anakin said walking toward the elevator. Ahsoka was still dazed from her vision rubbing her head "Ahsoka we'll need to talk later about this vision of yours." Obi-Wan said

Just then the Admiral rang "General Skywalker where in blazes have you been?" he said harshly out of Anakin's comlink.

"Long story Admiral, the smugglers-" "Are trying to escape we know one of them sent out a distress signal and it was heard." the Admiral said, Anakin stopped in his tracks and gave Obi-Wan a look of dread.

"Heard by who?" Anakin asked just as three Separatist dreadnoughts dropped out of hyperspace heading straight for them, "Oh just the usual, how are our systems coming along?" Admiral Yuralen asked the scar faced clone trooper.

"Systems are online Admiral."

Anakin groaned as he got into the elevator "It's never easy is it." Obi-Wan sighed when the doors closed around the three jedi.

"Admiral once we deal with the smugglers we'll join you in the battle." Anakin replied in his comlink.

"Understood General, happy hunting." Yuralen said while the fleet began to engage the new Separatist fleet.

Back with the fleeing smugglers, they started to feel the ship getting rocked by cannon fire from the enemy dreadnoughts. "What was that?" Ulic asked his brother almost losing his balance.

"Looks like the separatists heard us, probably want to avenge the fleet the lost which is perfect for us." Macross told him shooting back at Rex and his men.

"How, how in all the galaxy is getting caught in another battle good for us!" Ulic asked in a panic.

"We can slip out in the confusion, assuming Beatnik fixed the hyperdrive if he didn't we're-."

The ship was hit with another blast this time it did more than just damage the ship, it made everyone on the level they were on fall to the floor, parts of the walls exploded hitting everyone into a daze. The blast doors between the crew and the clones closed shut protecting Rex and his men from the blast but also cutting them off from their chase. Ulic-Nox collapsed on the floor coughing trying to get up, Ladon was able to pull himself to his feet and saw Teeseven was knocked over too next to him. Pulling the droid upright, Ladon looked over at Ulic-Nox and stumbled to him "On your feet…" Ladon looked around for Macross then saw him just as Ulic saw him, a large chunk of shrapnel had exploded from the wall and skewered Macross right in the chest, pinning him into the wall.

"BROTHER!" Ulic-Nox screamed running toward him, he fell down next to him Macross was already coughing up blood from his mouth and nose looking down at the metal poking out of him.

"Kark me- cough." Macross said blood spraying out of his collapsed lung "Ladon help me." Ulic-Nox started to try and pull the metal out, Macross scream in pain making the boy let go.

"No, no, no, no." Ulic-Nox chattered out shaking his head eyes starting to get watery in panic "Ulic listen to me, listen." Macross took his little brother by the collar and pulled him close blood dripping out from his lip.

Ulic looked at his brothers fading eyes "You-" he chucked up more blood "You have to go, you have to run finish the mission."

"Mission?" Ulic asked him, Macross reached into his robe and pulled out the gold star compass handing it to Ulic still covered in his own blood.

Macross coughed out blood again "I'm sorry I dragged you into this, didn't have a choice they'll hunt you for this… hunt you to the ends of the g-ack galaxy." Macross told him.

"Macross I don't understand." Ulic said as the blast doors behind them started to get spliced open, everyone turned to it before Macross coughed again.

"The force- the force is strong in our family little brother, strongest in you now follow the compass… find our legacy, Teeseven will help you." Macross said looking over at the droid who made sorrowful beeps.

Macross shook his head smiling, both eyes started to glaze over "Its okay Teeseven- cough"

Ulic-Nox couldn't hold back the tears falling down his cheeks "Ladon- get him out of here." Macross ordered as the clones were almost through the blast doors. Ladon rested his own blaster in Macross's hand before he grabbed Ulic.

"No- no, no we aren't leaving him." Ulic-Nox started to struggle but couldn't break free from the lizards strong arms.

"Go, go now." Macross said as he held both balsters to the blast doors the laser cutters starting to complete the full circle for breaching. "Brother, Brother!" Ulic-Nox screamed "You have to be strong Ulic!" Macross yelled as he diedm, Ladon draggin Ulic-Nox down the hallway toward the hanger.

"Find our Legacy, Finish the Mission!" Macross shouted as the blast doors breached open and the clones rushed in, Macross let out one final scream of rebellion opening fire just as Ladon pulled him around the corner "NOOO!" Ulic cried.

Ladon dragged Ulic down the final stretch to the hanger before he picked him up, Ulic patted Ladon with his hands crying as he was carried toward the hanger doors. When Ladon came out he saw the clones had abandoned their attempt at stopping the Nightingale from escaping as they were now preparing to get fighters out of the hanger and into combat. The blast that made them leave Macross behind had done more damage than they thought parts of the hanger were on fire and the wild blaster fire from the freighter had done more damage.

Buur saw the two of them coming from his cockpit "There coming, there coming." he echoed down the ship.

"Preparing to take off." Hestia said as she prepped the ship.

Ladon got onto the ramp with Ulic-Nox still crying "Get usss out of here!" Ladon screamed down the hallway.

Hestia pulled the ship off the floor when the jedi entered the hanger, "Blast it." Anakin snapped seeing it pull out of the shield wall with the other clone ships.

"Admiral the smugglers ship is escaping make sure it doesn't get away." Anakin told him.

"But master that will kill them." Ahsoka told him, "We can't let them get away." Anakin told her.

Obi-Wan interjected then "I agree with Ahsoka, there no good to us dead."

Seeing he was out voted Anakin held up his comlink "Belay that order."

Inside the Nightingale, Hestia flew the ship to the opposite side of the battle away from the Republic and Separatist ships "Damnit Macross I'm a doctor not a pilot where are you!" Hestia yelled out of the cockpit, while still in the ramp hallway. Ladon clutched a weeping Ulic-Nox close in his scaly arms.

"Let it out kid, let it out." Ladon whispered to him Teeseven rolled up into the cockpit next to Hestia making her already white offshoot face go even paler "Teeseven where's Macross?" she asked.

Teeseven plugged into the ship chartering a hyperspace route and answered her at the same time "... oh stars, you damn fool." Hestia said hearing him.

The Nightingale's hyperdrive engaged and jumped into the unknown without its Captain.


	3. Grief, Intrigue & Discovery

CORUSCANT, JEDI TEMPLE

"Find our legacy finish the mission!" A recording of Macross impaled to the wall of the Republic cruiser was being played in front of the Jedi High Council. Each of the twelve masters watched it closely when Ladon grabbed onto Ulic screaming in protest before they turned it off. All three of the Jedi from the Nightingales flight were standing in front of the twelve Jedi High Council members of the order a few in

hologram visage themselves. It was midday, the cities sky street system was flying around the temple in the backdrop of each window with speeders and ships flying, a ring of thrones with reddish leather cushions were in service to the Masters who surrounded the three other jedi. Ahsoka stood between her Master and his own while Obi-Wan finished the report "Shortly after we defeated the Separatist reinforcements we discovered they made off with all of our ships files." he finished.

Master Yoda scratched his chin with a stubby clawed ginger "Hmmm, coincidence the Separatist fleet appeared unlikely?" he asked.

"Unlikely indeed, the message that this smuggler sent out was received by both sides and has been shared on multiple civilian channels on repeat." Master Windu said leaning forward his fingertips pressed together.

"The Chancellor is concerned with the public backlash the war effort has suffered, as this war continues with no end in sight this could only lengthen it by turning these criminals into martyrers?" Master Mundi added next to the other masters.

Ahsoka's face scrunched up when she heard it "The smuggler was clearly lying, if these so called 'farmers' are real there more than likely a Separatist Militia being mobilized." Anakin said objecting to the backlash.

"Even so, we need to find those weapons and the ship its on." Obi-Wan said bringing them back to the matter at hand, "We've put out a notice to all fleets to be on the lookout for a ship matching the smugglers ships description along with its crew and offered a reward to anyone with credible information, in the meantime I've examined the contents of this journal we confiscated from one of the smugglers crew, the boy, Ulic-Nox Shan." Obi-Wan said opening the book and showing the portrait of Ulic's family, Obi-Wan walked up to Windu and handed to the battle master.

Mace examined it before he started to hand it to the Master next to him, who passed it onto the next one and so on.

"The drawings while amateur give us a good description that this crew operates primarily in the outer rim; given the fauna and landmarks within the journal however there are various detailed notes and drawings of ancient ruins in addition to the Star Compass the captain had." Obi-Wan said as Shaak Ti was handed the journal she flipped to the page with the compass drawing on it.

"This Star Compass, how did a relic such as this come into the hands of smugglers?" she asked.

Anakin answered her "The Captain claimed it was his, but when we came upon his body it'd been taken most likely by his supposed little brother."

"This brother, you claim he's strong with the force." Master Secura asked them, Anakin gave her a firm nod "Like nothing I've sensed before Masters, my Padawan can attest to it." he said gesturing to her to come forward and speak up.

On the spot, she didn't hesitate "Before I found Masters Skywalker and Kenobi frozen, well before the smugglers were apprehended Ulic-Nox was able to catch a wild bolt that was ricocheting towards us without even reacting." she reported holding up her open hand and shutting it into a fist reenacting Ulic..

"The boys power while immense is raw, untamed almost as if he was afraid of it." Obi-Wan told the twelve Masters.

"Do you think he'll seek retribution for his brothers demise?" Windu asked still leaned over his eyes filled with serious intent.

Obi-Wan reached up scratching his beard holding his elbow "Hard to say when Anakin and I were at the elder brothers mercy the younger intervened."

"They seemed somewhat familiar with the Jedi, is it possible the brothers are linked to the Order in some way Masters, what do you think the Captain meant by 'Find our legacy'?" Ahsoka asked opening her mouth suddenly getting everyone's attention, Yoda shared a glance with Windu but said nothing.

Instead of answering her they changed the subject "What's more concerning is the droid, your Padawans report of the droid downloading the cruisers files was correct, those files contain high value strategic information of our entire fleet of the outer rim and Republic intelligence, in the hands of these smugglers they could wreak havoc if they fell into Separatist hands." Master Windu said.

"Which makes it imperative you find them and soon." Master Shaak Ti added getting up and returning the journal to Obi-Wan.

"Dismissed you are, investigate these smugglers you shall find them we must, far from over this is I fear." Yoda told them.

The trio bowed before the Council before they exited the tower entering the elevator lift letting it descend. "Alright how do we want to play this?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan, Ahsoka looked to the bearded man who already had a plan in mind.

"I'll go see what I can find out in the cities underworld about the Nightingale and her crew, you should go speak with the Chancellor about this backlash and Ahsoka, take this." Ahsoka was handed Ulic's journal by Obi-Wan while he spoke, it had multiple extra notes tucked into the pages, with Obi-Wan's handwriting on it.

"Head to the archives to see if you can verify these locations from the drawings, I doubt you'll have much success but anything will help." Ahsoka opened up the first one to see some Great Plains with large stalagmites sticking out of the ground with a question mark.

She closed it "Yes Master."

"Any ideas on where these weapons are going?" Anakin asked "No, but I'm sure if these smugglers convictions are the same as their former Captain we'll know soon enough."

THE NIGHTINGALE, SOMEWHERE IN THE OUTER RIM

The custom freighter was drifting in wild space in power reserve mode, the occupants were all in their own unique areas. Hestia was at her desk leaning forward face in her hands rubbing her face, Ladon was on the bridge making sure the ship was in top condition getting up from the Captains chair to examine the star charts and a deep space radar that was clear. Buur was inside his private crew quarters in the south west part of the ship cleaning out his blaster pistol, he'd dismantled it to clean out the barrel with a small brush despite having large hands he appeared consumed by his work. Beatnik was inside the engine room sitting leaned up against one of the engines holding his hat tight unable to work.

Outside Buurs quarters that had the advoze's name was Teeseven a few doors down at Ulic's door waiting patiently like a dog. Ladon appeared in the hallway walking up to the droid who turned to see him coming, it gave a beep in greetings "Ssstill hasssn't come out?" Ladon asked the droid, Teeseven confirmed his answer.

"Well let me know if anything changesss." Ladon said walking down the ships hallway rounding the corner into the med bay where he spied Hestia head in her hands.

Ladon leaned on the doorway tucking his claws in his belt "Macrossss wouldn't want us to grieve." the trandoshan slithered out in a calming hiss but it dripped with grief.

The doctor raised her from here ands, both her grey eyes were puffy from her own sadness "You knew him longest other then Ulic-Nox, stars I can't imagine what he's going through, joys of being an only child." she said wiping dried tears away from her white cheeks, she pushed her chair back and looked up arms crossed.

"So what do we do now?" she asked.

"We finisssh the misssion." Ladon said back to her, the two of them heard hard grunting from behind to see Buur walk in to the doorway "Finally some good news, I need to get need paid." the horned man said picking some food out of his teeth.

Hestia stood up from her chair and walked toward him before Ladon got be between them "Everyone will, but not before a quick ssstop on Dantooine."

Buurs fangs gapped "Why do we need to go to that rock, there's nothing there but poor farmers and kathhounds?"

"There's also something importan, sssomething the Captain left behind for Ulic incassse he… in cassse this happened." Ladon told them struggling to admit that the man was gone.

Buur looked at the Doctor who had daggers for eyes, and the blades had Buur written all over them. Buur growled and turned around "Fine but I'm not setting foot off the ship."

Ladon kept his fangs barred while the mercenary walked away from them, "Can we trust him?" Hestia asked.

"No, keep an eye on him." Ladon said back to her before he walked back into the engine room up to a still grieving Beatnik "We're heading to Dantoooine." Beatniks head raised and he refitted his hat speaking to him in Jawa "Yesss, Yesss, I know the Huttsss have a bounty on your head but so will the Republic too-" Beatnik started to snap and hiss in Jawa at him, berating the lizard in front of him. Ladon raised each claw trying to calm the mechanic down before he said "Thisss isss about Macross and what we left behind, remember?"

The jawa froze in place and turned around and said a single word "Yesss that thing."

Beatnik dropped both his arms and shook his head saying something in jawa "No, I haven't told him yet but I will." Ladon replied, Beatnik held up a thumbs up for good luck to Ladon "I'll need it."

Ladon left the engine room and returned to the crew quarters, Teeseven was still faithfully standing guard outside Ulic-Nox's quarters before Ladon knocked. "Ulic, we need to talk."

No answer came from it, Ladon knocked again but still no reply so Ladon turned his slit eyes to Teeseven "Open it."

Teeseven obeyed opening the door, the interior was pitch black until the door woodshed open. Ladon saw a messy room that had many items broken and torn spread across the floor. Posters of Pod Racing and Twi'lek dancing girls adorned the walls. There were also charcoal drawings around them giving the room more color and character, all of which belonged to Ulic-Nox Shan. He was sitting curled up in a ball on the floor next to his bed, head buried in his knees, Ladon said nothing when he walked in, only taking a seat next to him on the bed.

"Did I ever tell you about the hatchery I grew up in?" Ladon a sked him.

Ulic was still silent "On trandosha, we're trained to be huntersss sssince birth my father Garnac a great hunter made sure his blood wouldn't be weak, ssso he through my brothers and I into the wilds of trandosha to survive for a year." Ladon said.

"I watched half of my siblingsss die so we could be made into 'true' trandoshans." Ladon told him "What we didn't know was that only one of us could be hisss true sssone." Ladon hissed.

"So you left?" Ulic asked him.

Ladon was about to say just that but closed is jaws "Yesss, I left my brother so he could live."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ulic-Nox asked him.

"Becaussse, sssometimes brothersss have to go away to keep their own brothersss sssafe." Ladon told him. Ulic-Nox got up from his spot on the floor and wiped his nose to look at him.

"My brother didn't leave- he's dead he died for breaking a promise to me." Ulic-Nox snapped at him.

Ladon didn't answer him "He- we promised to stay out of the war and he died for it." Ulic-Nox barked.

"This stupid, stupid- STUPID WAR!" Ulic screamed punching his fist into the wall only cutting his knuckles.

Ladon stood up "We can't esscape this war anymore Ulic, now it'll be coming for us we can't change what your brother did, but we can honor his memory."

"Honor his memory, what did he even die for a damn shipment of weapons and a fat box of credits?" Ulic-Nox asked him.

"This isn't about creditsss Ulic, it's about ssso much more." Ladon told him, "Tell me then, tell me who hired us Macross and you always did the deals so who was it some Separatist Militia?" He asked.

Ladon didn't answer him "Not yet, in case your brother died, Macross made me promise to take you to Tattooine to give you something for his compass." Macross reached into his pocket, he opened the golden star compass, at its center where small holder was something was missing.

CORUSCANT

Meanwhile, back on the Republic capital, Anakin was walking through the upper levels of the Senate Tower toward the Chancellor's office. As he entered he saw the Chancellor was already speaking with a few delegates, when the Jedi Knight walked through the doors a smile presented itself on the old mans face. Dressed in his red senatorial robes with large sleeves the Chancellor rose from his seat like an oak bending in the wind.

"Thank you senators, now if you excuse me." The Chancellor said gesturing for them to leave in a polite manner before he held both hands over his waist. The senators walked out past Anakin giving polite bows and nods before the two men were alone.

Anakin smiled when the door closed "Your excellency." He said in a respectful bow.

"Come now my boy I think we've known each other long enough there's no need to be so formal." Palpatine said softly into his ear.

Anakin rose from his spot to see the Chancellor walking toward him "Now tell me about this dreadful smuggler incident, I heard you almost lost your entire ship?"

"The smugglers droid is an older model ancient by our standards, it had an ancient failsafe one that bypassed even our systems to steal sensitive data from our ships computer." Anakin reported regretfully to the head of state. Palpatine cupped is mouth for a moment thinking, pacing toward the window he looked out at the city.

The old man's gaze looked back at Anakin's reflection, he brushed his is fingers on his wrinkled jawline "My boy you must recover those files, smugglers such as the ones you've told me about will undoubtedly sell them to the highest bidder, it could be disastrous for the war effort." The Chancellor said with Anakin coming up behind him.

"I couldn't agree more your excellency, I give you my word that they won't get away with this." Anakin said, Palpatine took the Knight by the shoulder "I know my boy, I can always trust you to do what's necessary."

In another part of the city far outside the ethereal view of the Supreme Chancellor's office, Obi-Wan Kenobi had entered a seedy cantina of ill reptue, a denizen of scum and villainy with every eye, both biological and cybernetic glaring at the Jedi as he walked in. He approached the counter where a twi'lek with one eye was cleaning a glass, while everyone else was watching the jedi with every move he made the bartender kept cleaning a glass. The bar was decorated with the pilot sigil of two dozen different ships and squadrons, the wall of the bar was adorned with hundreds of pictures and holograms of former pilots now long passed.

"Whats a jedi doing down here with us mere mortals?" The bartender asked him.

Obi-Wan leaned on the counter with one hand, that hand pressed a lightsaber onto it to show he meant business "Information, a ship called the Nightingale an unusual model an old acquaintance of mine used to visit this establishment?"

"Nightingale, Nightingale hmmm memories hazy?" The bartender said before he looked up "Hmmm 'had' a Captain name Shan right?"

Obi-Wan took note of the past tense of his word, hardening his gaze at the bartender "Indeed, you know him?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't why you lose a shipment?" The bartender asked snickering, some of the other patrons laughed too giggling and snickering.

Obi-Wan gazed out around the pub his gaze silencing the lower city scum before he turned around "Captain Shan was here a few times always tipped well." The bartender said putting his glass away looking at Obi-Wan.

"Did he always deal in weapons?" Obi-Wan asked the smuggler hesitated with the next glass but started to clean it "Hmmm weapons, well men have to make a living." The bartender said, Obi-Wan remembered how Macross had said the same thing.

"Cut the act if you'd be so kind?" Obi-Wan asked the bartender who set the glass down and leaned on the other side of the counter leading forward.

"Hmm Kay Jedi, Captain Shan was a smuggler so are a lot of the other boys in this cantina and word is you killed him after he sent that message out." The Smuggler said, as soon as he leaned forward Obi-Wan heard chairs scooting back and sensed that many of the patrons in the cantina had risen from their seats hands on their blasters some getting closer to Obi-Wan. The Knight didn't move from his spot or draw his lightsaber, he had a far more deadlier weapon his mouth.

"Now, any other smuggler wouldn't bat an eye that's the name of the game, man tries to smuggle gets caught or dies happens all the time." The smuggler said crossing his arms "But Macross Shan wasn't just a smuggler, men can only take so much abuse before we return to beasts." The remaining cantina drinkers finished their drinks and all stood up looking at Obi-Wan at first glance he was out numbered twenty to one, but still Obi-Wan was unfazed.

"What was he than?" Obi-Wan asked, the bartender reached under the bar and Obi-Wan raised the unsheathed lightsaber hilt but the bartender revealed not to draw any weapon but a picture frame one of Macross Shan, the Bartender dusted it off before he hung it on the wall with the other pilots.

Looking at the picture the bartender answered him "Take a seat Jedi and make sure you leave a hearty tip when I'm done." The bartender waved off the other men behind Obi-Wan who returned to their seats but kept their blasters close.

Back at the Jedi Temple, Ahsoka was sitting in the halls of the Jedi Library with Artoo helping her by bringing data pads to her. She had Ulic-Nox's book in her lap looking at various pictures on planets. She continued to look though possible leads and had a holopad with notes on it she was typing into when she thought she found something. A sudden yawn forced her to rub her eyes, closing Ulic's journal she set it down and got up to stretch her back before she got back to her seat. Looking at the monitor her mind began to wander before she yawned.

"Great Jedi stuff isn't this Artoo." Ahsoka said down to the droid who beeped her happily.

She turned another page coming to a picture of Teeseven with his serial number T7-01 written above it along with "Heh, The Best Friend a Boy could ask for." She read aloud while looking at the droids.

Taking her monitors mouse she dragged the cursor over to the files and typed in the droids serial number. Suddenly the screen exploded with pictures and files of an old droid that looked exactly like Teeseven minus the makeshift repairs and modifications. The first one was a picture of Teeseven standing next to a man in green armor and a jedi robe, Ahsoka's eyes got wide as she expanded the picture of the man. Scanning it through the system she was instantly given a hologram of a Jedi Master.

"Whoa?" Ahsoka gasped looking at the man, he had fair skin with brown eyes and hair with light skin, clean shaven but his face showed the stern gaze of a true Jedi "Master Ven Zallow and his astromech unit T7-01 thre days before he died during the Sacking of Coruscant…." Ahsoka started to look through more files with Teeseven next to other jedi. Then to one large picture that showed not just Knights of the Old Republic but soldiers, smugglers and even the Supreme Chancellor standing together as the droid stood amongst a party of medal wearing people.

"Teeseven stayed part of the Jedi Order for nearly a century before the droid went missing, it should be noted this droids memory was never wiped but due to the length of time recovering its memory would be near impossible do not attempt or… a little late for that." Ahsoka said closing the files.

She looked at another picture of the droid and noticed it wasn't with just any other jedi, the droid was standing next to a torgurtan woman with bright orange skin and white markings around her face with a white and blue lekku like hers. "

Gulping she clicked on the picture "Ashara Zavros…" Ahsoka's face turned pale when she remembered how the droid had called her that name.

Being careful she checked to see she was alone in the library when she opened the file "A gifted Padawan Ashara Zavros- betrayed the Republic becoming a Sith Lords apprentice to a… Darth Nox?" Ahsoka read in a whisper, she typed in the name Nox and the images of a Sith Lord with a metal mask that looked like a skull around their head appeared. The image showed Nox along side Ashara long ago, more images of Ashara appeared before one "Both the fate of Darth Nox and his apprentice are unknown…" Ahsoka said as she looked at Artoo.

She flipped back to the inside flap of the journal with a line that Ulic-Nox Shans signature, at the three names.

Typing in the first four letters of his name U-L-I-C the computer auto finsihed to show the name Ulic-Qel Droma, the first Image showed a young man with a mullet wearing blue and red jedi robes with metal scales on his shoulders holding a green lightsaber fighting in some ancient war the next he was garbed in golden armor with green robes up till he was wearing all black at the head of an army of Mandalorians with another jedi holding a double bladed lightsaber "Sith Lords Exar Kun and-" she didn't need to finish her sentence.

With no need to type in the second part of his name Ahsoka looked at the last name, Shan. At first she hesitated then she typed in the name Shan, suddenly the computer froze and a restricted window pop up appeared, "Restricted?" Ahsoka asked.

"Something I can help you find my dear?" Ahsoka nearly jumped out of her skin when she looked to see Master Jocasta Nu was standing behind her.

"Master Nu sorry you startled me, I was doing research for my master on a case we're investigating." She told the librarian who walked around her chair to get a better look.

Concern covered the elderly woman's face when she saw the files of various Sith Lords on Ahsoka's monitor "Forgive me Padawan, but why are you examining the records of so many fallen jedi?" She asked Ahsoka.

"Before they escaped, one of the criminals told his brother to find their legacy, so far I've found the names of two Sith Lords but this last name Shan?" She said giving Madame Jocasta Nu the journal for her to look at the name. She recognized the names immediately given the look that crossed her eyes.

"Why are all files connected to Shan restricted?" Ahsoka asked the librarian, Nu gave no response "If you would like to have the files unrestricted for your use I will ask the council for permission, you must know they have a good reason for the restriction." Nu told her.

Ahsoka smiled when Nu handed her the book back to her "Of course Master Nu and thank you, I just hope we find them before it's too late."

DANTOOINE

The Nightingale flew out of hyperspace to a tannish brown ball of a planet coming up to them, the planet had white clouds and a small ocean in its northern hemisphere. The crew had gathered on the bridge to see it coming "How many years has it been since we were last here?" Hestia asked in the back seat to Ulic-Nox. Ulic was sitting in the copilot seat next to Ladon who had taken the pilots seat.

"Four years." Ulic said while Ladon took the ship down below the clouds, it was pouring rain on an ocean of tall grass, large plateaus cut and divided the land in low valleys some filling up with water. The harsh winds of the world shook the ship hard making it difficult to keep it straight. Lighting grazed the ship like hammer making everyone hold on.

Ladon finally spotted a piece of high ground for them to land, when they did lighting struck again it hit the ground in front of them and in the distance. "Ssstorms to fierce right now, we'll go when it passsessl." Ladon told them.

"Aye-aye Captain." Buur said getting up from his seat "Don't call me that." Ladon snapped instantly looking at Ulic-Nox the pain of losing their old Captain hadn't left Ladon eyes either. Buur left without saying another word, "Ulic come with me." Ladon ordered, the boy followed him back to the Captain quarters, it was larger than everyone else's room with a king sized bed in the floor and a closet full of clothes. Weapons decorated the walls along with other decorations such as a Tusken raiders war club, a few plants and pieces of art from their travels. Ladon walked into the closet and pulled out it a leather vest throwing it at Ulic with Teeseven coming up behind him "Put thisss on."

Ulic caught it in jump and looked at it, the leather was rough but padded with two pockets on the front and metal shoulder pads with a low collar around the neck "That's rancor leather ssshould ssstop everything but a sssniper direct ssshot." Ladon said walking over to the wall of weapons, Ulic-Nox slipped into the vest it was little big on him but in time he'd grow into it.

"Are we expecting trouble?" Ulic-Nox asked.

Ladon started to arm himself with the weapons throwing a heavy repeater over his back and taking a M-415 Particle Beam ripper off the wall "Now and alwaysss, good chance we made it to the Republicsss number one kill lissst." Ladon said checking the scope.

"Which means you need a blaster." Ladon said grabbing one off the wall and throwing it to the boy, Ulic caught it by the handle and looked at it, it had a compact hilt with a trigger guard, it had a revolving power module so it wouldn't overheat with a long narrowing barrel and a small scope on the top. "CLT-851, older model but a trusssted blassster if any, you remember how to shoot." Ladon said as Ulic-Nox looked over the blaster.

Ulic-Nox squeezed the blaster "Y-yeah."

Ladon kept arming himself throwing a bandolier of ammunition over his chest "You ssstay clossse to me when we go, we're heading north to the old ruins, you'll need to remember the way back if we run into any trouble."

"Will there be trouble?" Ulic-Nox asked again picking up a blaster belt and buckling it around his waist.

Ladon didn't answer him for a full minute, "I know you don't remember it in the early days, when it was just the Captain and us, but he was searching for something something about that compass." Ladon said pointing to the compass around Ulic-Nox's neck.

"My- our mother use to tell me about it but I never really listened." He said rubbing the top of it with his thumb "Something about a Revan, whatever that is."

Ladon looked at him closely, watching Ulic-Nox rubbing the compass "Well get some rest we have a long walk ahead of us after this storm passes. Ladon said walking to the door, Ulic-Nox started to follow but was stopped at the door.

"No." Ladon said.

"No?" Ulic asked him confused "Thisss isss your room now, your ship Captain." Ladon said, Teeseven and Ulic looked at one another when he said it. Before he could object to the position Ladon shut the door with Teeseven and Ulic behind it. Ulic sighed walking over to the bed and falling down on it in a thick sigh, he looked at the compass again taking it in his hand. Squeezing it tight he sat up and ripped it off his neck and chucked it into the wall where it bounced off, panting hard now he grabbed a pillow and screamed into it before he dropped it.

Teeseven beeped at him in curiosity "No, no I'm not angry I'm just… I'm hurting Teeseven, I'm just so mad at Macross I hate that he's gone that he died that he left me behind…" Ulic whimpered wiping away the tears "No use crying now I guess." He painfully chuckled.

The droid raised its head before it's optics started to glow playing a full sized hologram, the image of the same man Ahsoka was looking at in the Old Republic picture appeared "Yeah Ven Zallow your old partner, what about him?" Ulic asked the droid who was silent letting the recording play.

The hologram paced back and forth in front of Ulic "-Remember padawans the most fundamental teaching of the Jedi is death, with the force it doesn't exist we are all connected by the force as one mind and spirit when we die as others say our life essence returns to that force. Though we mourn their loss we rejoice knowing that they have found peace and remember no ones ever truly gone." Ven Zallow said, Ulic actually smiled at the droid trying to cheer him up.

"Now back to our lesson, to move objects with the force we must connect with it." Ven Zallow said, Ulic glanced over at the star compass on the other side of the room.

"Even inanimate, the force still surrounds these objects you must learn to grasp that in your own hands." Zallow said, as the hologram spoke Ulic-Nox looked at his own hand the one which had tossed the star compass away so casually.

Ulic-Nox looked up at Zallow again "Let go of your fear, let go of your anger and your sorrow trust in the force yes but never forget too trust in yourself."

His arm extended and Ulic spread his fingers out toward the compass closing his eyes he reached out and when he opened it he saw the star compass flying straight at him, it his him square in the face, knocking him back onto the bed. He grabbed his nose "Gyaaahh muha Noosee!?" Ulic yelped in a muffled cry the Star Compass had come to him through the force. Right into his face to break his nose, Teeseven let out a hardly laugh of droid speech before rolling around a bit turning off the recording as it laughed.

Ulic sat up holding his nose that was starting to turn purple "At least nothing ever dampens your spirits Teeseven." Ulic-Nox said wiping away the blood from his nose with his scarf and looking at the compass he popped the top of it and looked at him the inside carvings that matched the outer ones on the top of astronomical map marks. He reached over to the drawer next to the bed and opened it pulling out a knife he started to carve something into the compass.

JEDI TEMPLE

The night sky blanketed the city and the Temple, Ahsoka had remained at her spot in the library yawning as she flipped back to another page on the journal to see a drawing of one of the ruins Obi-Wan had noted. The ruins drawing had been taken from an overlooking view, the structure appeared to be a compound of three rounded buildings connected to one another with an annex landing pad that was overgrown with trees and roots. Lush fields surrounded the ruin with small ponds filled with reeds, Ahsoka's eyes were heavy with sleep as she saw a note written in Ulic-Nox's hand writing but it was in huttese.

Ahsoka groaned "This is what I get for skipping alien literature." She said holding the journal up to Artoo "Translate this for me little buddy?" She asked the droid.

The droid obeyed with glee to be of use, in less then two seconds he translated the huttese to her "What!?" Ahsoka snapped.

"Jedi temple on Dantooine?" Ahsoka looked at the drawing again and up at the monitor typing in what she just said, suddenly the image appeared of the same ruins in much more pristine condition.


	4. Forgotten Treasure

DANTOOINE

The storm had let up with thick almost black storm clouds covered the sky, a soft drizzle pressed by the wind was showering the Nightingale as its ramp lowered. Both Ulic-Nox and Ladon walked out with Teeseven coming down the ramp with them as Hestia and Buur stayed inside. The two of them were wearing rainproof ponchos with blue stripes running across the center of it when they walked out "Teeseven activate treads." Ulic-Nox ordered the droids.

Its two legs lower extended its feet and so did its rear wheel before it revs its engine. Ladon meanwhile turned to face the rest of the crew "Keep the long-range ssscannersss going, let usss know if anybody isss heading our way." The trandoshan told them.

"Of course, good luck," Hestia said to them.

They closed the ramp before Ladon looked at Ulic "Compassss?" Ulic reached under his poncho and hood to pull out the golden star compass.

"Blassster?" Ulic moved his poncho to show the CLT model strapped to his side "Letsss go we have a long walk ahead of usss."

Ladon and the boy with the droid started to head south toward their destination, "You remember when we were here lassst time, dropping off that farming equipment, you had that journal do you have that caussse you may need it."

"I… I lost it when we escaped the Republic Cruiser." Ulic-Nox told him, Ladon gave him a glance backwards "Oh, sssorry I know it was important to you."

"My father gave it to me before, you know." Ulic-Nox told him.

Ladon nodded "Valor wasss good man, gave me my life back when your parentsss helped me disssapear."

They kept on walking over the wet fields before Ladon stopped "What is it?" Ulic-Nox asked bumping into him. He poked his head around Ulic-Nox's back with Teeseven behind him when the two of them saw a dantooinian man on a droid drawn cart. He was wearing a scarf and hat with a cloak looking at them. Slowly he raised his hand to wave at them "Pateessa?" He asked in huttese.

The trandoshan held up his claws to his chest one arm behind his back reaching for a blaster "Pateessa." Ladon said lowering his arm he gestured back to Ulic-Nox and asked "Basic?"

"I speak it." the man on the cart said spitting out on the other side of the cart "We ssscavengersss, go check out ruins we heard'bout." Ladon said with a rough accent trying to disguise his voice.

The farmer looked at him and Ulic and the droid "With that droid I bet, you got creds and I'll give you a lift." The farmer said. Ulic-Nox saw Ladon slowly start to pull his blaster holstered behind his back before Ladon moved his hand on top of the lizards claw to stop him "Tagwa." He called back "We've got'em." Ulic-Nox reached into his pocket and pulled out a purse of credits walking around Ladon giving him a look throwing the bag to the farmer who caught it and looked inside.

"Hop on." The man said, Ulic-Nox and Ladon walked toward the cart with Ladon picking up Teeseven and placing him in the back before they set off.

CORUSCANT

Obi-Wan exited a speeder after returning to the Jedi Temple to see Anakin and Ahsoka waiting for him outside the entrance of the temple. "Anything to report?" Anakin asked his old mentor.

"Only that I'm out of funds for our next mission, but I did recover substantial information about the smugglers." Obi-Wan replied chalantaly before they walked into the temple with Anakin and his Padawan beside him.

"Don't leave us in suspense Master." Anakin asked, Obi-Wan looked down at Ahsoka who was puzzled why he was so hesitant to answer "I'm afraid the situation is more complicated now than before."

"Isn't it always with us?" Anakin asked.

The cold stern expression on Obi-Wan's bearded face was showing he had no time for Anakin's sarcasm, "What is it?" Anakin asked.

"These aren't average smugglers Anakin, this Macross Shan was something of a folk hero to the Outer Rim." Obi-Wan told them, Ahsoka gave a snorting snicker "A folk hero?"

"Indeed Ahsoka, remember how that doctor was wanted for stealing medical supplies?" Obi-Wan asked them, "What of it?" Anakin asked while they passed but he tall long windows on the outermost interior part of the temple passing between rays of light and tall shadows.

Kenobi stopped before he answered "She was supplier for years it seems, the company she worked for his extensive history of thefts of high grade medicine that was constantly being stolen unknown suspects until she was discovered, the informant I spoke said this Nightingales were the culprits." Obi-Wan said.

"Probably charged double for the stolen medicine." Ahsoka suggested in a disgusted voice "Quite the opposite Ahsoka, they gave them away."

Anakin gapped and then smiled "Gave them away, are you serious?" Anakin asked in disbelief.

"Anakin unlike you I don't joke about serious matters, I cross referenced Republic aid requests in outer rim systems that went unanswered in correlation with the thefts of the medicine given the time it takes to get to each planet it makes sense." Obi-Wan said hands behind his back.

"Okay but that ship was really old and stealing medical supplies, they'd need to make credits some how to fund these operations?" Anakin asked scratching his chin hand on his hip.

Obi-Wan had an answer already "The informant said they did take credits all be it through unusual means, are you familiar with the Onasi family?"

"Who?" Ahsoka asked "The Onasi are an extremely wealthy and very old family here on Coruscant and in the Republic, the story goes that the heiress to the family was kidnapped a year ago by the Black Sun and the Nightingale crew was hired to bring her back."

"Did they?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan nodded "She lives here in the city at her family's estate."

"So we go question her?" Ahsoka asked "Very perceptive Ahsoka, that still doesn't answer the question of these weapons why would do Goodger's such as these suddenly turn to blaster running?" Obi-Wan asked.

Shrugging slightly Anakin started to head back to the speeders "Well only one way to go find out."

Later, the three Jedi had left the temple to come land outside the walls of a large upper city compound with a shining metal mansion with armed guards standing outside the wall. The Main house was so large it could fit an entire battalion of clones, with small amenities around it, Ahsoka whistled when she saw the sheer size of the compound next to her master "Someone's well off?" Ahsoka said.

"When people have wealth Ahsoka they like to flaunt it." The guards who approached them wore orange side zipped jackets with black pants and brown boots, blasters at their hips with clean shaven faces and trim haircuts. Each ma was wearing a visor around his eyes shelling their eyes except one of the men who approached them. He was dark of skin with peppered black hair and a goatee, Obi-Wan was ahead of Anakin and Ahsoka and when the two men stood face to face they bowed.

"It is an honor to receive you Master Jedi, we have not had the pleasure of a jedi at the House of Onasi for some time, I am Captain Gargan please my Master is expecting you." Gargan said rising and gesturing for them to go inside.

"Thank you Captain, we shan't take long is the eldest daughter able to speak with us?" Obi-Wan asked when they guards opened the gates. Ahsoka's eyes got wide when she saw what was inside, the interior of the estate didn't match the exterior of Coruscant at all. There was a metal walkway leading toward a large pool sized fountain in the center, surrounded by a grass field with pieces of art around them. A garden of thick vegetation surrounded the house as they got near with brightly colored sparking speeders being cleaned by droids.

Captain Gargan answered Obi-Wan snapping the jedi back to the conversation "She is, we were overjoyed when she was returned to us." Captain Gargan said before he stopped and turned around "We are also aware this is in regards to Captain Shan's demise and the part his crew played in returning the girl." Gargan said standing a bit close to Obi-Wan.

"We only seek to question the girl, this crew is very dangerous." Obi-Wan said back to him locking eyes with Gargan who only smiled "We know, its why we hired them."

The jedi were led into the house which was as grand as the exterior, it had white floors and walls that were constantly being cleaned by droids on the floor. Gargan escorted them into a large room with couches inlaid in the floor and two people already awaiting them, there was a man and a woman both wearing robes of Coruscant elite with orange tints on them, the mans wore a long cape around a thick toga of reddish orange and brown striped trousers. The woman had on a similar colored dress with shoulder pads and a high collar, her thick white hair was done up in an elegant bun and despite having white hair she was still very youthful. The man was clean shaved head and chin with a strong jawline and brown eyebrows.

"May I present my Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, along with Padawan Ahsoka Tano." Gargan said bowing to the two adults "Master Jedi may I introduce my Masters of these esteemed house Reyes Carth Onasi and his wife Edenaia Tula Rand Onasi." Gargan said rising up from his bow. Reyes walked over to each Jedi holding his hand out.

"Master Jedi an honor, please sit." He gestured to the opposite end of the couch his wife was sitting and sat down next to her as Anakin and Obi-Wan sat, Ahsoka stood behind her masters while Gargan stood behind his.

"Thank you for seeing us, we'd like to discuss with you the matter of-" "Our daughter we know, Captain Gargan if you'd please." Reyes said to the Captain who nodded before he left the room.

"Captain Gargan will return shortly with her, now as a parent we'd like to know what you'll be asking her, you must understand the ordeal she went through was quite traumatizing to her." Reyes said to Obi-Wan who gave him an assured nod of agreement.

Obi-Wan took out a holodisk and turned it on to cycle through images of the Nightingale and its crew "You hired a crew of mercenaries to return you daughter, I'm sure your aware of who these people are and why we're interested in them."

Reyes and his wife exchanged looks "We do, please Master Jedi that we were desperate to have our daughter returned to us."

"If you wanted her return why didn' you petition for Jedi assistance?" Anakin asked in a more accusing manner "Because your fighting a war, Master Skywalker." Edenaia said quickly.

"We are patriots to the Republic in the days of the High Republic era when we had a real military every Onasi served." Reyes told them looking at each Jedi "But with the war the chance of our plea getting to your Council would have taken months, we had to act quickly to save our daughters life."

Gargan suddenly returned "Presenting the eldest daughter of the House of Onasi, Lady Quella." Both Jedi stood up when she entered to show respect.

Walking in behind Gargan was a woman sharing feature of both parents with white dreadlocks tied up behind her head wearing a long black dress that went down to her knees with pants under it, her arms were covered with long black fingerless gloves and exposed shoulders. Her arms were out in front with her hands clasped over her front as she walked head bowed to sit between her parents. Returning to their seats Anakin and Obi-Wan waited for her to speak.

"Greetings Master Jedi." Quella said not meeting there gaze "My dear once again we'd like to thank you for letting us question you, please tell us everything you can about the events of your kidnapping?" Obi-Wan asked, Quella looked to her father who patted her on the shoulder "These are Jedi my love you can trust them."

Quella looked up to show bright purple eyes, but they held a mix of emotions fear, sorrow and a bit of anger "My family had sent me to Mandolore to study as a ward under the Duchess Satine of Mandolore, when my family's vessel was leaving were attacked en route by brigands."

"The Black Sun, we're aware when did Macross Shan and his crew come?" Anakin asked trying to get to the point.

"I'm not sure exactly when…. all I remember is that the B-Black Sun killed my guards and put a bag on my head, I was constantly being moved till the took the bag off an I was in some cell I think?" Quella said her eyes darting from Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka at random.

She paused before continuing "Then one day part of the cell wall opened behind me, I thought some sort of monster was about to pop out but it was a boy."

"A boy?" Obi-Wan asked.

Quella looked at him "Yes, blonde, tan skin with turquoise eyes and a droid."

"Was it this boy and droid?" Obi-Wan asked changing the holodisk to show Ulic-Nox and Teeseven.

Quella saw the hologram of them running away from clones and opened her mouth but shut it quickly, "... yes, thats them they led me out of the cell into the walls before we started to hear blaster fire."

"Blaster fire?" Anakin asked "Y-yes I wasn't sure wear it felt like all around us but he led us out of a hole in the wall of some sort of fortress, a ship flew overhead."

"This one?" Anakin asked gesturing for Obi-Wan to change it to the Nightingale, Quella nodded to confirm the two ships were the same "A trandoshan and some other alien with a horn came out another entrance after us and Captain Shan too with almost a hundred men after them, the boy took me onto the ship and then they… they brought me home."

Each Knight looked at each other "When you were aboard the vessel did you notice anything unusual?" Obi-Wan asked her.

"Unusual?" she asked "Yes, strange relics, Separatist paraphernalia?"

"Separatist, what are you implying Master Jedi?" Reyes asked.

Obi-Wan gently raised is hand "Nothing if a malicious nature I assure you, however when we took the Nightingale and her crew into custody we discovered a horde of weapons being smuggled in there ship." Obi-Wan told them.

"And you think these smugglers were working for the Separatists?" Quella's mother's asked seeing where he was going with it "We aren't sure who there working for at this time, we aren't sure who exactly or what we're dealing with."

Suddenly, Anakins coms beeped, he stood up "Excuse me, Ahsoka come with me." Anakin said gesturing for Ahsoka to follow him.

Anakin and Ahsoka left the room and even the house outside into the front garden, "This is Skywalker go ahead?" Anakin asked the comlink.

"General Skywalker." it was Captain Rex's voice "We just received a tip about the smugglers, someone spotted them on Dantooine."

"Dantooine, Master one of the drawings in the journal is of an ancient Jedi temple on Dantooine?" Anakin smiled at her "Good work Ahsoka, well let's go rescue Obi-Wan and be on our way." Anakin said ready for another adventure.

DANTOOINE

Ladon and Ulic-Nox waved goodbye to the farmer after he dropped them off at the entrance of an overgrown canyon. Teeseven also extended his claw arm to wave goodbye "We ssshouldn't have let him go." Ladon said walking into the canyon.

"We can't always just shoot our way out of problems." Ulic-Nox said following him, Teeseven staying close to him.

"He'll talk, creditsss always make' everyone talk and by now the bounty on us is posted." Ladon said going deeper in the canyon, large trees stood over the top shading the floor with small sliver sod light and shadow. A stream was on there left with tall reeds sticking out of them cutting through the ground making the path even more narrow and winding like a labyrinth.

Ulic-Nox wasn't sure how to answer "But still, you couldn't kill him."

"You couldn't." Ladon said back rounding a corner in the canyon to the right, they came to a ledge that Ladon climbed up and extended his hand down for Ulic-Nox to be pulled up "So, all of you told me killing was wrong, we'll except Buur?" Ulic-Nox asked him, Teeseven had a small rocket thrusters in its two legs shoot him up after them.

"It is, but sometimesss itsss… sometimesss it's necessary. ' Ladon answered continuing "Look, I use to kill for money for sport, but that's the worst of it now I'd rather not kill anyone but-" he cut himself off "But what?" Ulic-Nox asked him.

"But nothing come on were almossst to the temple." Ladon said ushering them forward toward a now gaping crevasse next to the cliff they were walking on. The walkway suddenly stopped and another one on the other side was waiting a waterfall was trickling down out of it into the crevasse, they jumped over the gap landing on the other side walking deeper in. The came to a large opening in the canyon covered in grass and saw the temple. It was overgrown with fat trees masking it from the sky above, the roots covered the ancient stone and metal like a tarp leading down into pools of water that were feeding into streams.

Ulic-Nox and Ladon walked toward the temple coming over a short ancient walkway winding over the roots and till they came to an old metal doorway. Ulic-Nox suddenly froze not able to take another step.

"There's… there's something in there." Ulic-Nox said while Ladon pried open the doors "It'sss why we're here." Ladon said as the doors snapped open.

Ulic-Nox looked down at Teeseven who said something to him "Yeah, I'm scared to partener."

Ladon took out two flashlights from his hunting vest and handed one of them two Ulic-Nox, Teeseven also used its headlight to spread a beam of white light on the ruins. The interior was metal floors with roots coming out of the ceiling and walls, as they came inside it went down, down, down and down into the underground of the temple. The floor had the bones of animals on the floor and remains of long dead insect like creatures that turned to dust when Ulic-Nox accidentally stepped on one of them.

"So, this was a temple right to the Jedi?" Ulic-Nox asked shining a light on a wall to show a mural of ancient Jedi fighting ancient Sith in black.

"Why were you and Macross here?" Ulic-Nox asked "Because we needed to hide something here." Ladon said walking through an open doorway, Ulic-Nox noticed an x carved on its side and saw Ladon was following more of these x markers to somewhere.

"You want to tell me or do we have to be kept in suspense?" Ulic asked the trandoshan "A loadstone for the compass."

Ulic-Nox took out the compass as he walked and opened it looking at the slot "Stars is that what this is for?"

"Yep." Ladon said walking on ahead, Ulic had to run to catch up to him "So he told you about it, I always remembered he had it when we were with our parents but I was so young I barely remember." Ulic-Nox said putting it away.

"Figures, were just a youngling when they went." Ladon said looking around for the next marker and spotted it on the floor.

Ladon headed down till he came to a door with another x on it, reaching for his belt the trandoshan stuck a knife in the edge of the door and pried it open. "Q-quick find a ssstone to keep the door pried open." Ladon ordered, looking at old carvings of jedi from old Ulic-Nox scrambled to find a large stone and picked it up with both hands coming over quickly he set it between each metal door giving them a wide enough gap to slip in "Teeseven stay here and watch the door." Ulic-Nox said when he noticed the gap was two thin for the droid to get inside.

Teeseven argued with him for a moment before Ulic-Nox calmed it down "We'll need you to keep us in contact with the Nightingale remember when we were on Aldrerann and went underground- yeah I still feel the place where those things bit me." Ulic-Nox told the droid before the two of them vanished into the darkness.

HYPERSPACE, ENROUTE TO DANTOOINE

The Twilight, Anakin Skywalker personal ship was surfing in the lanes of hyperspace the black and blue swirling vortex of light carrying them across the galaxy and unimaginable speed stretched out in front of them for infinite miles. "We should be arriving soon, Ahsoka what did you find out about the journal." Anakin said at the pilot seat next to Obi-Wan. Ahsoka was behind them at the navigation station, she'd brought Ulic-Nox's journal with her in a backpack.

She turned her seat around "I noticed in the journal a drawing of a set of ruins, a Jedi Temple."

"A temple, how would smugglers know where a Jedi Temple is?" Obi-Wan asked.

"The temple isn't exactly new master, the records say it was an Enclave centuries old, is there anything there of value?" Ahsoka asked them.

Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at one another "Something must be for them to go and we'll find out once we land coming out of hyperspace now." Anakin said when the twilight dropped out over the green brownish sphere ahead of them. When they descended from the stars to the clouds the harsh winds of the storm returned to greet them as it did the Nightingale, "Sensors indicate a storm is about to over this entire hemisphere Masters, we won't be able to fly in it when we land?" Ahsoka said looking at the radar.

"Leave that to me, just give me the coordinates to the Temple." Anakin said flying over the clouds without even looking below to see the Nightingale, Beatnik was out on the roof looking at the ship through binoculars.

In a panic the jawa jumped off the top of the ship and slid down a rope to the ramp running up shouting. Hestia was busying her self in her med bay when she heard him only understanding one word of Jawa "Jeedai, Jeedai!" from Beatnik, she shot to hear feet.

"Jedi, Buur we got company." Hestia said running out of the med bay to the cockpit Buur ran in behind her "There heading to the temple, try to raise Ladon o the comms." she told him. Buur worked his large fingers on the comms "Hrrr the storms interfering with the signal and they must be underground." Hestia swore "Echuta, Beatnik prep the engines." Hestia called back into the ship but no answer came "Beatnik?" she asked before she looked out one of the loading ramps dropped and Beatnik broke out on the back of a swoop bike two blaster rifles strung over his small back and thermal detonators around his waist. The blasters on her back were an E-3 carbine and an A280, along with a jawa ion blaster holstered in the saddle speeding toward the temple after the jedi.

Meanwhile, back in the temple Ladon and Ulic moved deeper and deeper into the temple when Ulic stopped to see the metal floor had turned to steps carved from stone. The walls were no longer held up by metal beams but stalagmites and stalactites on the roof and ceiling of a cave. But even so lines were carved into the walls that were smooth between the stalagmites and shared down the floor in grid like designs. The steps came down to an end and Ulic raised his flashlight to see the cave floor expanded out to long stone bridge they were deep underground and the underground caves walls expanded out raising his flashlight Ulic-Nox almost gasped at what he saw carved into the walls were faces, a bald headed man with markings on his face giving him a fearsome visage, a woman so beautiful she appeared angelic with long hair and headdress, between them was a man with a pointed hat and beard giving him a diamond shaped head with eyes that seemed to follow Ulic wherever he went.

"W-what is this place?" Ulic-Nox asked breathing smoke from how cold it was underground, "Old." Ladon said shining his light at the end of the cavern, there was a raised part of the cave with a table at the end. A box was sitting on the counter top of the stone table covered in dust. Ladon stopped just before the raised floor and looked back at Ladon gesturing him toward the box.

Ulic-Nox swallowed his fear and walked up to the table and opened the box, reaching inside he pulled out a bright red marble "The loadstone?" Ulic-Nox asked. "Plasma encased supraluminite, its attuned to specific hyperspace vectors leading to worlds lost and forgotten except for those who have your compass." Ulic-Nox heard Ladon say while he took out the compass and opened it. He placed the red gem inside the center of the compass and it and nothing happpened.

"Is that it?" Ulic-Nox asked him "I-I'm not sure, force welders should be able to pen it do force stuff?" Ladon suggested.

Ulic shut the compass turning off the map and held it up "What you don't know why did we come here anyway, why did Macross hide this here?"

"Because he could never use it, only a force wielder can unlock the compass." Ladon told him "Why, what's so important about it?"

"Macross never told me I swear Ulic, he just said your mother gave it to him something about your Legacy I thought you'd know what?" Ladon said holding up his claws "I barely remember my parents Ladon, but I… I do remember this." Ulic-Nox said looking at the compass "Mom always wore it when she sang me to sleep?" Ulic-Nox said rubbing the compass.

"Do you remember the song?" Ladon asked him.

Ulic-Nox looked at him puzzled "What?"

"The song, maybe it meant something, worth a shot?" Ladon asked him.

Ulic raised the compass looking at the red marble inside the gold case.

"Hush now my child here in my arms you baby

Come stop your crying and listen to this lullaby

The Galaxy full of cold darkness but also the warmth of light

Slip now into your dreams safe from harm in the softness of night

Dream of a City in the Clouds the keys Enshroud

In the Shadows of Giants where ghosts stand Defiant

To the Deepest Ocean listen to the Leviathans Song

Our Legacy is yours to find, so dream and remember

When Hope almost lost, you'll ignite the ember ..."

Again nothing happened "See it was stupid nothing-" suddenly the compass opened up and a rainbow of light fountained out of the compass int o the cavern illuminating every corner showing the entire galaxy spiraling around them. Ladon's jaws gapped along with Ulic who looked to see four planets were sticking out from the other worlds blistering with starlight shimmering in the ancient hologram that looked more like mist from a waterfall "Its… it's beautiful." Ulic-Nox said, while he was admiring it Ladon started to hear the faint beeping from a comlink on his wrist.

"Echuta me." Ladon hissed "Ulic we got to go we got company."

Ulic shut the compass and the rainbow map disappeared back into the compass "Alright we'll figure this out back on the ship."

"Wait you forgot something in the box." Ladon told him taking out his blaster rifle and priming it "I did?" Ulic asked.

He looked back into his box "Is that…?"

"Yep now grab it we'll need it."

Up above outside the temple, the Jedi were leaving the ship on one of the canyon plateaus looking at the overgrown temple. "Fascinating, you can feel the force is strong with this place." Obi-Wan said closing his eyes walking to the very edge of the canyon, Anakin took a deep breath taking in the scent of the river surrounding the temple and the trees blowing in the wind along with the scent of rain from the encroaching storm.

"Both the light… and the dark." Anakin exhaled looking at all the ponds around the trees "Ahsoka what did the records say about this temple?"

"It was destroyed master in an ancient war between the Sith and Jedi..." Ahsoka said walking up to a stone that she brushed moss from tos we it had once been a statue bust of some kind.

"I can sense the darkness from the battle, the loss of jedi but reclaimed by new life." Obi-Wan said looking at the trees cocooning around the ruins.

Anakin walked up to him and patted him on the bag "Well as poetic as that sounds, how about we go find the criminals desecrating the remains of our dead brothers shall we, Ahsoka watch the ship and let us know if that smuggler ship appears." Ahsoka spun around shocked she was getting left behind.

"Your leaving me on guard duty?" She asked him "Because I trust you yes." Ahsoka heard Anakin say before he jumped off the cliff down to the temple before Ahsoka could make another objection.

"Just take the compliment Ahsoka, you'll rarely get another from him." Obi-Wan said before he followed Anakin.

Ahsoka stomped back to the ship and sat down on the ramp, unaware of the Jawa beatnik scaling the other side of the canyon wall armed to the teeth and hungry for revenge. Anakin and Obi-Wan dropped down into the small forest garden around the temple "I can sense there here but there's something else?" Anakin said with the storm clouds growing overhead not yet at full force.

"I sense it to but we can't let them get away again." Obi-Wan told him walking toward the entrance.

Beneath the surface, Ulic and Ladon came out of the lower dungeon and out into the hallways Teeseven had been beeping them for what seemed like forever to the droid when they came out "Good work partner now let's make like a Wookiee and hhurrraaa." Ulic said heading to the exit before Ladon tossed a thermal detonator down into the dungeon and grabbed Ulic by the arm pulling him away as the tunnel caved in shaking the ground

They ran out of the chamber as smoke and dust covered there tracks, at the entrance of the lower levels Anakin and Obi-Wan felt the explosions shake the walls and took out their laser swords "Can't go that way, we'll run right into them thisss way." Ladon said pulling him down the temple hallway deeper in away from the way they'd come in.

"But that's the way out?" Ulic-Nox asked him as he started to follow him "Theresss always another way Ulic, especially when you have high grade explosivessss." Ulic-Nox saw Ladon reach into his vest and pull our explosive gel with wires into it, they ran down the hallway as on the other end of the temple Obi-Wan and Anakin had found the lower levels lightsabers already drawn lighting their way. The two of them spotted the footprints of a trandoshan, a pair of boots and track marks leading into the temple they started to pick up the pace "Any idea what that explosion was?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan.

"No, but let's go find out shall we." Obi-Wan asked running alongside him.

Up on the surface, Ahsoka was pacing back and forth hands on her hips looking at the temple, behind her on the other side of the plateau. Beatnik had found his way to the top, he crawled into the taller grasses up to some rocks and took out one of his blasters over his back, Beatnik took out the E-3 and looked down the scope at Ahsoka. The Padawan sensed the danger and didn't react just yet stopping she lowered her arms to her lightsaber and waited for him to open fire. Beatnik squeezed the trigger and she dodged barrel rolling to the floor pulling out her lightsaber to deflect the next three rounds.

When she saw Beatnik come out from behind the rocks, he held up the blaster over his hatted head yelling at her in jawa "The jawa?" Ahsoka asked before it opened fire. She deflected the shots before the small hooded alien jumped off the rocks and started to run around the ship getting it between her and himself. Ahsoka was surprised to see how fast the droid was and when she ran around the other side trying to cut Beatnik she saw a thermal detonator waiting for her she used the force to make it fly away fro her before it exploded knocking her off her feet onto her backside.

Coughing trying to catch the wind back in her lungs she saw Beatnik jumping off the wing of the Twilight shooting at her she rolled out of the way from the lasers scrambling to get to her lightsaber which had landed not far from her. Beatnik landed in a roll before springing from the floor to pounce on her back pulling the blasters around her neck trying to choke her. Ahsoka swung him around on her back trying to throw the jawa off before she let go seeing he had an iron grip. She used the force to summon her lightsaber she caught it and held the emitter toward Beatniks cowled face forcing the jawa to let go or get stabbed in the face when the lightsaber came on. When she knocked him off she ripped his blaster rifle out of his hands to slice it in half with her lightsaber. Beatnik took off his belt of thermal detonators and flung them at Ahsoka all of them armed, Ahsoka turned around and ran as the explosion sent her flying to the edge of the plateau almost making her fall off if she hadn't grabbed a nearby root.

When she pulled herself up, Beatnik was running at her holding the A280 rifle shooting at her head. Ahsoka let go of the root and grabbed onto another one slicing it free from its grip on the rock wall. She held onto it with one arm running around the wall using the vine to pull herself up onto the top. Beatnike had reached the cliff when he saw she'd come back up "Round two sleemo."

Beatnik shot at her which she deflected easily with her reverse grip before she made one of the shots ricocheted off her lightsaber back into Beatnik hitting him in the shoulder. The jawa screamed as it fell into the dirt motionless, Ahsoka gasped seeing she'd managed to hit him when she was aiming for her blaster, she ran over to the jawa when she hunched over Beatniks raised is ion blasters and opened fire, the ionic charge hit her square in the chest sending electricity to every corner of her body knocking her out into the dirt. Beatnik got up picking up his hat and fitting on his head standing over her at his mercy.

Down in the ruins, the three smugglers were running out of room when they came to a dead end in a circular room with roots coming out of the ceiling "Dead end, plan B?" Ulic-Nox asked Ladon who held up his explosive and tucked it into the highest roots "How about C part four."

Ladon dragged him back to the rooms entrance and they saw blue light at the end of the hallway corner getting brighter but eh second. Ladon held up his detonator "Pray I don't kill us all." Ladon said pressing the switch, "What you don't know if it'll work?"

"No the bomb will work but… well this was our back up bomb for that job on Scipio you remember." Ladon told him, Ulic's jaw dropped as the bombs beeping rapidly increased to detonation "That bomb was for bank vault these are ancient ruins."

Ladon shrugged when the bomb exploded sending a cloud of dust and dirt down the hallway but also filling the caverns with light.

"It worked?" Ulic asked when Ladon suddenly picked him up under his arm "Of courssse now up and at'em kid." Ladon said throwing Ulic out of the hole in the wall back into the top of the ruins. Ladon grabbed onto one of the roots hanging and Teeseven flew up with his rocket thrusters. When they were all out Anakin and Obi-Wan had sprinted into the destroyed chamber "Come on." Anakin said when the two of them used the force to jump out of the hole, Ladon and Ulic were running up the exit ramp when they turned around to see the jedi.

"Run Ulic!" Ladon yelled taking out his heavy repeater blaster rifle and opened fire on the, Anakin and Obi-Wan caught his blaster shots but their hight velocity heavy rounds made them move to get out of the way, Anakin going left and Obi-Wan going right trying to get the trandoshan to shoot at the other with the other getting free, Ladon didn't take the bait he only shot the roof of the temple to cave in and cover ther escape, only for a brief moment when the rocks had stopped falling. When they ran out of the temple into an open courtyard when a roar like thunder echoed overhead not unlike the actual thunder getting ever nearer. The Nightingale soared above beating the incoming storm that was churning the winds into a fury "Ladon to Nightingale we need a quick pick, Jedi on our heels." Ulic said into his coms seeing Anakin and Obi-Wan coming out of the temple lightsabers drawn.

Ulic-Nox backed up with Teeseven but Ladon stood his ground changing out his ammunition, "Ulic when I ssstart ssshooting run and don't look back."

The two jedi approached them steadily "You'll pay for desecrating this place." Anakin said "Come quietly and no harm will come to you." Obi-Wan insisted raising his lightsaber toward them.

"What no I'm not leaving you-" "RUN." Ladon screamed shoving him to the back of the courtyard where the wall was partially down, shooting at Anakin and Obi-Wan taking out one of his pistols to shoot at the two of them separately.

Obi-Wan tried to dodge Ladons fire but the trandoshan was to precise, "Anakin go after the droid." He ordered but Anakin was receiving the brunt of the heavy repeater "Little- busy Master." Anakin stammered out.

Ladon was backing up to the wall with Ulic pulling Teeseven over the rocks "Come on parter we got to book it." Ulic said grunting to the droid, Ladon was keeping the jedi at bay but they were getting closer with every step before they both used the force at the same time to blast Ladon back, but he leaned back rolling on his back to his hind legs shooting at them still. In the sky's above Hestia was piloting the Nightingale as best as she could in the cockpit with Buur in the belly gunner "I-hate-flying!"

"And I hate Jedi!" Buur roared with her shooting up the courtyard, Anakin turned around to see the ship open fire on the from the skies. He tackled Obi-Wan out of the way. Ladon took his chance and ran back to the exit to see Ulic-Nox and Teeseven were running up trail toward one of the plateaus tops, the boy waved both his arms above his head to the over passing ship "Here, were down here!" He called out. Back in the courtyard Anakin and Obi-Wan recovery and resumed their chase into the small woods around the temple.

Up on the plateau Ladon had taken the high ground spraying the heavy repeaters lasers wildly each of them as he reached into his vest and pulled out a grenade for the both of them.

"Grenade!" Obi-Wan said when he saw it get thrown Anakin didn't take cover he just ran on ahead and used the force to make the explosive fly back toward the bounty hunter who raised his left arm to shield himself when it exploded right in front of him making Ulic-Nox turn around and scream "LAAAADOOOON!"

The explosion made Ladon fly across the plateau when he hit the floor the trandoshan saw his left forearm was completely gone. Roaring through his teeth in a loud growl Ladon grabbed the nub of his arm fresh blood dripping out of it when Anakin appeared in front of him lightsaber in hand "Surrender now." Anakin ordered.

"Death first!" Ladon yelled grabbing the repeater the bounty hunter raised his weapon but Anakin was to fast. He was in front of the trandoshan before he could even get his first round cutting the blaster in two, Anakin brought the lightsaber down about to take of Ladons head when out of nowhere was a purple flash of light.

"NO!"

Anakin gasped when he saw a purple lightsaber blade was blocking his lightsaber in the hands of Ulic-Nox Shan, his teeth were clenched and gray eyes were filled with terror but among all that he was able to say "I won't let you hurt anyone else." Ulic-Nox was able to throw Anakin's lightsaber away mostly from the surprise Anakin was still reeling from seeing him holding a lightsaber read to fight him right then and there.

**I'm going to start leaving translation for Huttesse enjoy**

**Pateesa = Friend **

**Tagwa = Yes**

**Echuta = Fuck(I think)**


	5. The Sword

_MANY YEARS AGO_

"_That's it Ulie thats it." Ulie's mother said to him as she knelt in front of her youngest son, he was wearing a long teal tunic with brown pants and in front of him was a ball hovering a few feet above the floor of their home. His mother's bright brown eyes were full of wonder and pride as her son had his small hands reached out toward the ball walking toward it but every time he walked forward the ball moved ahead of him. The house room was a play room of sorts, various toys and plushies of rancor's and wookiee were laid across the floor as Ulic-Nox's mom cheered him on. _

_Ulic's blonde hair was tied up in a small braid behind his head as he giggled and smiled seeing the ball float in front of him. At the edge of the doorway a young Macross looked into the room with envy wearing a pale yellow shirt and shorts digging his nails into the doorway. _

"_What are we doing?" Someone said behind Macross making the brown haired boy jump out of his own skin to see Landon standing behind him in an apron holding a broom. Ladon looked out across the doorway into the playroom to see Ulic almost fall for his mom to catch the toddler, the ball bounced on the floor rolling to the lizard and older brother as Ulic-Nox's mom hoisted him in the air "You did it, you can use the force, yes!" The mom said hugging him close kissing Ulic on the cheek. _

_Macross poked his head behind Ladons leg before he turned around and ran down the hallway, Ladon picked up the ball and sighed shaking his head before he followed Ulic's older brother._

_Walking down the hallway he entered into the living room, various furniture was adorning the room along with the heads of slain beasts, a blaster rifle hung over the fireplace and painting above it. Ladon sniffed the air and looked to see Macross was huddled in a corner between the sofa and an armchair. Ladon sat down in the chair and laid his brooms down fumbling with the ball in his claws. _

"_Sssomething eating you youngling?" Ladon asked him, the trandoshan was holding a duster for cleaning sand had a few stains on his apron. _

"_No go away." Macross hissed. _

"_I think I'll stay thisss isss my favorite chair to nap in." Ladon said suddenly falling asleep and snoring so loud Macross fought the urge to giggle "Ah-ha there's a sssmile." Ladon said springing from his sleep spell to lean over the chair. _

_He tossed the ball to Macross who caught it "You jealous of your little brother, don't deny it." _

"_I'm not, it's just…. it's not fair, he can use the force I can't." Macross said squeezing the ball. _

"_You don't know that." Ladon told him, Macross jumped to his feet in an fury "Yes I do, my mother told me she said I'd never be able to use it." _

_Ladon clawed at his scaled chin scratching off dead skin "Hmmm, good then you don't worry about it anymore." _

"_What?" Macross asked him. _

_Ladon sat up leaning toward him "I'd rather know I'd never have sssomething then alwaysss waiting to see if I would, thisss way you can learn what your giftsss are." _

_Macross looked at him cinkling his left brow in visible confusion "But but but the force is-" "Isss sssomething trillions of people do without every day, I do and so does your da." _

"_B-but Dads got guards to protect him he doesn't need it." Macross said looking over at a holographic picture of their father on the mantle above the fireplace. _

_Ladon shrugged "Ulic-Nox doesn't have guardsss, he's just a youngling." _

"_But he'll get bigger." Macross said. _

"_True, but so will you." Ladon said getting up he didn't pick up his broom though, merely picked Macross up from the floor. _

"_He'll need you to protect him until he's strong enough to do it himself, you understand?" The trandoshan asked Macross "But how?" _

_Ladon reached into the folds of his apron and pulled out a blaster "With thisss, come on time to learn how to shoot."_

_He handed the blaster to Macross so he could get the feel of it "But what if I'm not there?"_

"_Then letsss hope he's ssstrong enough." _

PRESENT, DANTOOINE

Ladon's vision was blurry from the harsh wind and spitting rain starting to covered the ruins, the burning light of a blue lightsaber locked with a purple one burning into his pupils as he started to see Ulic-Nox was crossing swords with Anakin, before the Jedi could land the final blow on the now one armed Ladon. Getting to a knee Ladon looked at Ulic-Nox's back panting "Ulic- no."

"Shut up, get to the Nightingale." Ulic barked at him not taking his eyes off Anakin.

"Neither of you are going anywhere." Anakin said breaking off the boy's guard by wrestling his blade to get underneath Ulic's making the boy backed up a step toward Ladon who was almost off the ledge.

Obi-Wan came up from behind Anakin on the other side of the plateau and his face was filled with visible shock when he saw the boy holding the lightsaber, composing himself he turned his on and rushed up to join Anakin. Leo aimed his sword at him too with both hands locked tight around the ancient lightsaber. It was bound in leather at the hilt with three spikes like blades around the hilt jutting up above the emitter caked in rust. Teeseven who was hiding at the edge peeked out at him scanning the lightsaber sudden lights blinking and something inside the droid starting to tick.

"Stand down and neither will be harmed." Obi-Wan told them before he saw Ladon was missing an arm "Well at least not anymore then you already have." He said shooting Anakin a glare.

Ulic didn't budge from his spot noire did he deactivate the lightsaber, "Get back!" Ulic said swinging his lightsaber at the two Jedi who were inching closer and closer.

Anakin took one hand off his lightsaber and raised it "Stand-down son, we don't want to hurt you." Anakin asked trying to reason with him, when he got Ulic-Nox's attention Obi-Wan saw a chance to end this quickly without any fighting. Using the force he tried to wrench Ulic-Nox's lightsaber from his from his grasp but he didn't let go when his arms were yanked forward, the boys grey eyes glazed over for a split second and he yelled breaking his grip on his lightsaber flailing out both arms and before either Jedi could sense it they were hit with an unleashed force repulse that knocked both men off their feet and into the grassy mud. Almost collapsing himself if Ladon had caught him, Ulic-Nox gasped for air too return to his lungs.

Back with the two Jedi, Anakin groaned getting to his feet "Alright no more mister nice jedi."

Obi-Wan also getting up gazed back Ulic-Nox then to Anakin "We need to be wary of Anakin, there's no telling what he'll do next."

"Then we end this quickly." Anakin said turning his lightsaber back on and running at them, "Anakin no."

Ladon saw the jedi charging toward them and so did Ulic who pushed Ladon off and raised his lightsaber to defend them both "Ladon, run!". Anakin brought his lightsaber down like a sledgehammer stronger and fiercer than the boy Ulic had to parry and side step to not get cleaved in two. Anakin went on the attack forcing Ulic-Nox's feet to fumble backwards as he did his best to not even block but dodge the clearly superior swordsman's strikes.

Grabbing onto the nub that was an arm, Ladon saw Obi-Wan at the same time and reaching behind his back and Ladon pulled out a long knife and growled at the Jedi to beckon him forward. Obi-Wan walked toward him enguarde "Surrender bounty hunter."

"Haven't been a hunter for a long time Jeedai." Ladon said before he ran toward him "But I still know how to fight JEEDAI!"

Back with Ulic versus Anakin, Ulic fell back into the mud slipping before rolling over back top his feet hunched over backing up from an already pissed off Anakin "You don't deserve to hold that lightsaber thief."

Ulic-Nox shrugged "Probably, but do deserve yours?"

The boy ran at Anakin and swung at him on high, Anakin slid back and swatted the attack away with one hand, Ulic tried again this time from the left which Anakin caught and brought back his free hand to strike Ulic-Nox in the face. Ulic staggered back spitting blood "You can take a hit I'll give you that thief."

Tasting his own blood, something awakened in Ulic-Nox when Anakin saw his eyes, instead of the fear of boy he saw fire.

"There was a time when the Galaxy was prospered, a time when Jedi were champions of the people." Ulic-Nox drew back his lightsaber and swung but turned off the blade when Anakin tried to catch his blow, rolling forward, Ulic turned it on again this time Anakin caught it.

"When the jedi fought for the people no hunted us." Ulic dropped low and swung his leg at the Jedi's feet. Jumping out of the way Anakin landed to see Ulic-Nox's open palm in his face, "Bla-" and was blasted across the plateau again by Ulic-Nox's insane power this time almost off the edge if Anakin hadn't driven his metal hand into the mud and rock to hold himself there.

"We only hunt bad guys and criminals like you." Anakin said not letting the boys words faze him. Ulic looked over at a stone buried in the ground and reached out with his fingertips the stone freed itself from the earth's embrace and soared at Anakin who sliced it in twade with his own lighstaber.

Rather then dismay Anakin smiled seeing it be a challenge "Impressive, most impressive but you are not a jedi." Anakin said raising his own hand, the wind shifted heading toward Ulic-Nox who felt more was coming, and it did Anakin started to push Ulic-Nox back towards the edge his boots unable to get traction "If your what a jedi is, I'd rather not be one at all."

Ulic drove his lightsaber into the mud but that didn't work either. Then he held his hand down on the ground and grabbed it with the force to hold himself there for a few moments he didn't move but Anakin turned his open palm upside down cupping the ground around Ulic-Nox's feet. The earth began to tremble before Ulic-Nox could let Anakin do it. He jumped to see the place where he was standing was ripping out of the ground and blasted off the cliff behind him.

Anakin snickered taking up his lightsaber again ready to resume the duel, Ladon and Obi-Wan on the other hand hadn't even drawn first blood. They were still encircling each other "Why did you come here, what was inside the Temple that was so valuable?" Obi-Wan asked.

"For the lightsaber, jedi hunting him he needs something to even the playing field." Ladon told him over the harsh winds holding his severed arm.

Obi-Wan narrowed his glare at the lizard "How did you know it was here, who put it there?" Obi-Wan asked before Ladon pounced swiping with his blade, spinning it back and forth from front to backhand grips. The trandoshans long reach and almost paranormal speed made it hard for Obi-Wan to dodge even with the force on his side.

"Nobody who concerns you Jedi." Ladon spat back, but Obi-Wan's famous wit said otherwise "Well considering I am a Jedi like you say, that lightsaber is a Jedis weapon and it was in a jedi temple it does concern me." Obi-Wan used the force to knock Ladon off his feet down into the mud holding his lightsaber over him.

Across from them Ulic was still trying to survive Anakin's onslaught. They locked lightsaber again this time Anakin was smiling toying with the boy. "Not that this hasn't been fun and you show some potential, give up now and it'll hurt less."

Ulic-Nox looked up at Anakin from behind his lightsaber his eyes petrified with fear and in flight or fight, defiance took over finding the strength to push Anakin away with his lightsaber. Unamused by this Anakin came at him again quicker and stronger then before he hit the boy from all sides punishing him back before Anakin kicked him square in the chest throwing Ulic-Nox down knocking the lightsaber from his hand.

"Give up, you can't win." Anakin declared not pushing his advantage as he already had it in everything about this duel.

Ulic-Nox coughed from the wind getting knocked out of him and crawled to the lightsaber gasping grabbing the lightsaber and getting up to face Anakin again. He ran at him swinging but Anakin just knocked his lightsaber away

He turned on the lightsaber once more the purple laser illuminating his half mud covered face, "Alright, sorry about this kid." Anakin lowered his lightsaber and raised his right hand in a claw. Ulic-Nox felt an invisible hand squeezed around his neck keeping his, in the back of his gaze Ladon saw Ulic was in trouble and was about to run over to rescue him but Obi-Wan stood between the two.

"Stay down now." Obi-Wan ordered over the storm winds, "No" replied getting up weakly.

All four of them could feel the storm was almost on them, but none of them heard the engines of the Nightingale as it raised itself up from below the plateau in front of them. Its headlights were on shining down on them with the weapon systems heating up steaming on the cannons from the rain, Buur sat in the co-pilot/gunner seat up front "Fire." Hestia told him.

"With pleasure." Buur opened fire unleashing a barrage of cannon fire onto the plateau ripping the earth and stone to pieces straight for Anakin. He dropped Ulic and raised his is lightsaber to defend himself from the sudden attack, but at such a short distance and with only a lightsaber Anakin was low from the ground with Obi-Wan forced to take his attention away from Ladon, an advantage the trandoshan capitalized on he swung his foot at Obi-Wans to make the jedi stagger almost losing his footing. Rather then attack Ladon rushed toward a coughing Ulic in the mud picking him up by his vest.

"On your feet Ulic." Ladon told him, Ladon grabbed onto the trandoshan by his clothes clawing to his feet toward the ship that hovered just over the plateau to lower its ramp.

Ulic looked back at Obi-Wan running for cover from the blaster fire as Anakin got back up dusting himself off. "No." Anakin snapped getting up to try and get to them before the Nightingale's loading ramp could drop.

"Oh no you don't." Buur said turning the guns on Skywalker.

Anakin dodged the blaster shots and kept getting closer "Tee… Teeseven!" Ulic shouted out looking around for the droid. Teeseven speeded toward them from behind the rocks and used its rockets to jump over the gap in the plateau as the ramp lowered.

"You next." Ladon told Ulic when he saw Anakin coming up behind them. Ulic saw him to and pushed Ladon out of the way back onto ramp and turned on his lightsaber. Anakin dodged rolling forward and ignited his blue lightsaber and stuck it out to parry the next blow but it didn't find Ulic-Nox's lightsaber but rather the Ulic-Nox's lower torso.

Ulic-Nox looked down at the lightsaber sticking in and out to him his own raised over head "ULIC!" Ladon screamed as Anakin turned off his lightsaber "No, no, no, no, no not like this." Anakin said horrified at what he'd just done backing away.

"Bastard!" Ladon screamed grabbing an emergency blaster from his boot and shooting at Anakin hitting him in his armored collar before Anakin's jedi training took over for him to deflect each blast. Ladon dropped the blaster and grabbed Ulic-Nox before the boy could fall between the gap between the gap between the ships ramp and the cliff pulling him in.

Ulic-Nox's hand had grabbed onto his stomach where the saber had gone in "L-Ladon…." Ulic coughed out onto the ramp floor. Teeseven came down and opening one of its small arms grabbed onto Ulic's collar trying to get him onboard.

"Do you have him, do you have ULIC!?" Hestia screamed in the ships commas "Just get us out of here, get us out of here now!" Ladon roared, pulling the boy close.

Hestia heard the panic in his voice and looked over her shoulder to see Beatnik come in "Get us out of here." She said before the ships doctor got up and ran back to the ships entrance to see Ladon struggling with him "Help me, help me now." Ladon snapped at her.

"Force…" Hestia said picking up Ulic from the almost dead Ladon "Save him doc…. pleassse save him…."

Ulic was hoisted over Hestia's shoulder as she dragged his feet into the ships medbay and dropped him on the bed, pulling his feet up she rolled up her sleeves before she and Ulic almost were flung from where they were. "Beatnik keep it steady!" She screamed. The Nightingale was flying right through the storm lighting and harsh wind trying to knock the ship out of the sky, aboard it Hestia pulled straps over Ulic-Nox to keep him on the bed as she took out the medkit to try and save Ulic-Nox from the injuries.

Back on the surface Anakin watched the ship fly away getting smaller and smaller in the distance "Ahsoka, bring the Twilight around now." Anakin ordered before he hurried over to Obi-Wan who was dusting himself off.

"Are you alright Master?" Anakin asked.

"Fine Anakin how are you, I saw what happened." Obi-Wan told him grabbing Anakin by the shoulder "Master I was trying to disable him I… I didn't mean to- Ahsoka where are you?" Anakin said trying to avoid the conversation and get back to the pursuit.

"Ahsoka come in, where is she?"

Meanwhile the Nightingale had broken out into the upper atmosphere breaking the gravity well of the world into the black void filled with stars. Beatnik started to look around and said something in Jawa "You know where the hyperdrive is right?" Buur asked him.

The Jawa snapped at Buur suddenly "I thought you knew how to fly it weren't you and Macross close he had to let you fly?" Buur asked. Teeseven came in suddenly as they started to argue throwing insults at one another then the droid plugged into the ships port and started to run its computer on its own. When Buur and Beatniks were about to shoot each other they jumped into hyperspace.

"We're clear, repeat we've made it to hyperspace but I got no idea where, the droid punched in some coordinates I've never read before?" Buur said into his headsets earpiece to the rest of the ship. Ladon heard him on his spot in the floor and staggered to rise to his feet exhausted and wounded holding his arm, when he was upright holding onto his nub he walked into the main room of the Nightingale with the holotable, it had various chairs and couches around the table complete with other decorations on the walls mostly spray paint and wanted posters of all the crew except Ulic's.

Ladon found a seat and took it as Buur and Beatnik came in behind Teeseven "Stars." Buur said in shock gapping seeing the one armed trandoshan who swung both legs up to the other side of the couch "Good ssshooting Buur…. damn good."

Buur's black eyes softened and he returned to a smug smirk "Yeah well can't let you be the only one taking on jeedai you pooda for brains."

"Teessseven, where are you taking usss?" Ulic-Nox asked the droid who hesitated to answer before it beeped out at him, Ladon's eyes grew hazy when he heard it and he sighed "What he say, where are we going?" Buur asked.

"Somewhere I hoped never to go again, alright Buur take inventory of every weapon we have, Beatnik make sure the Nightingale is in top shape for what comes next." Ladon ordered trying to sit up, Buur gave a grunt before walking away to another part of the ship Beatnik stayed and started to say something in Jawa.

Groaning with his teeth barred Ladon shook his head "I can barely understand you, slowly please?"

Beatnik pointed behind him toward one of the rooms in the ship "You WHAT!"

Ladon got to his scaled feet and the Jawa backed off a few steps before starting to argue with him as Ladon snarled and snapped his fangs getting toward him. Meanwhile in the medbay Hestia was wearing a set of bloodied gloves with a cloth around her face as she stitched up Ulic-No. Hestia looked at Ulic then at the a medical device showing damage inside, the boy was heavily sedated with his body strapped to the operating board his shirt was torn open so she could operate more quickly and most of his wounds had bacta pads and wraps on them except for the one that Anakin had stabbed him she was looking at via the x ray.

"No, no, no, no, Macorss please don't take'em yet I know you miss him but please not yet." she started to try and stitch up the wound with bacta running over to a drawer and taking out a syringe and stuck it into a vial before she hurried back over and stuck him with it. When the machine said he was stable she sighed "Thanks Macross."

Hestia pulled her ask down and started to take off her gloves when she heard a loud bang outside the medbay. She came running out into the main room to see Ladon holding Beatnik up against the wall ready to rip his hooded face off with his claws "You sleemo echuta scruffy nerf herder do you have any idea what you've done!?"

The Arkannian offshoot looked at the two of them at Buur in the opposite doorway watching leaning against the wall "Stop them." She snapped "What's the fun in that?" Buur asked smirking.

The doctor walked up to Ladon "What the hell is going on now?" She asked.

"This stupid Jawa couldn't follow simple orders and like the little scavenger he is he took a prize!" Ladon snapped dropping the Jawa on the cold metal floor. He picked up his hat and spat some Jawa insults in Ladon's face.

Before they could tear each other to pieces Hestia got between them "What prize?"

Ladon and the Jawa froze at her intrusion "Show'em."

Beatnik lead the four crew members down the hallways of the nightingale to a locked door that he opened and all three of them, except for Teeseven who had no jaw; had their jaws dropped at what they saw, tied up and gagged on the floor out cold was Ahsoka Tano, Jedi Padawan and more trouble for them.

Hestia knitted her eyebrows with her fingers before she looked down at Beatnik "Buur as a doctor I am honor bound to do no harm so please, so hit this Jawa so hard he blacks out Ladon lets go try figure this out." She said before locking the door.

Buur snickered cracking his knuckles "Now you're mine Jawa."

Beatnik cocked his hooded and hatted head before he reached into his back and took out two pairs of bronze knuckles and beaconed the advoze mercenary to come and get a taste.

As the two of them started to fight, back in the bridge Hestia and Ladon had taken seats in the car "Let me take a look at that arm." Hestia said taking out a kneeled of bacta fluid from her surgeons coat. She sat Ladon down and he let her administrate the bacta into his arm numbing it, he winced at first feeling the prick of the needle but it subsided in a few seconds.

"So did you find what you guys were looking for, I hope so." Hestia asked the trandoshan.

"We did Doc, but a lightsaber and the compass crystal won't keep him safe." Ladon said looking into the swirling blue void of hyperspace.

Hestia took one of the cockpit seats next to him and leaned over "Can we?" She asked him, shaking her head "How is he by the way?" Ladon asked her.

"Bad... really bad, the ligthsaber ripped up his stomach, spin's nearly severed..." Hestia told him leaning back and crossing her arms "We can't loose both of them, not like this."

"We're pushing it, now more than ever with where Teeseven has sent us but that may help us" Ladon said still gazing at the hyperspace with dread in both eyes.

Hestia raised her head toward it and didn't even need to ask "This is good, this can work they can heal up but do you really think **they** can protect him?"

"Maybe, but who will protect him from them, these people are can be just as bad as Jedi." Ladon said, behind them the two heard Buur walk in he had a swollen black eye and was bleeding from his lip from his scuffled with Beatnik who was out cold somewhere on the ship.

Grumbling the mercenary found himself a seat on the bridge "So…. not be in the dark but where are we going?"

"You lied to those jedi right about being a hired gun right?" Ladon asked Buur, the mercenary was fiddling with something in his mouth using his tongue before he spat out some blood on the floor "Of course."

Ladon took in a deep breath "The Order of Revan, they'll give us sanctuary but when we get there they may not let Ulic leave or us leave with our lives."


	6. The Revanites

Ahsoka awoke to find herself tied up to a metal pole inside a dark room when her vision returned she looked to see Hestia was sticking a kneeled in her arm, wincing when she saw it cause her muscles tensed. The girl bit her lip to fight off the pain as Hestia pushed the liquid of the vial into her "What is that, poison, drug?" She asked the doctor. The girl was covered in bruises and mud from her fight from Beatnik.

"All medicine are drugs, this is morphine it'll dull whatever pain you're having girl." Hestia said as she took out the needle. Ahsoka felt the medicine loosen up her body and bring a sense of relaxation from head to toe, singing she tried to keep herself focused.

"And it'll dull my senses, I.. I won't talk, not even if you torture me." She said pushing the doctor away. Hestia didn't leave. She flashed a light in each of Ahsoka's eye and saw the girl was concussed.

Hestia put the needle back into a medical bag with a Red Cross on it smirked "What part of doctor don't you understand, we don't hurt people." She said closing the bag and getting up.

"Then why am I tied up?" Ahsoka asked the white skinned arkanian offshoot, Hestia smirked "So you don't try to escape and hurt us."

Hestia walked to the door, when it opened Ahsoka saw Teeseven, in the doorway before it shut closed. Leaning up against the wall out of sight was Ladon, the trandoshan had his arm bandaged after losing it. "How is she?" Ladon asked Hestia.

"She has a concussion, do you have any that plant stuff we got from that dealer on Corellia, the ones that made Beatnik go insane and destroy our food supply?" She asked Ladon.

He shook the scales on his head left to right "Alright then we let her sleep it off, then you can question her in the meantime what do you plan to do with her?"

"You think I'm going to hurt her, she's a child?" Ladon asked the doctor.

"She's also a jedi, you've killed them before?" Hestia said hand on her hip.

Ladon sighed getting off the wall "Only when they try to kill me or usss."

Hestia narrowed her white eyes at him, "I just want to talk to her when she's able, I'll leave that up to you." Ladon turned around and walked away heading to the cockpit.

Meanwhile the doctor walked down the hallways of the ship while Teeseven stayed behind in front of the door as she returned to the med bay. When she opened the doors she saw Ulic-Nox was trying to get up out of the bed "You shouldn't be up."

"Hestia?" He asked, turning around.

"Lado, where's Ladon and Teeseven?" He started to try and get off to walk toward her but lost his footing. Hestia dropped her bag and ran to catch him helping him onto the bed "Fine, everyone's fine except you." She said cupping his face.

She grabbed her bag off the floor and opened it taking out a medical device to scan him "You need to rest."

"I- I can't rest." Ulic said stubbornly trying to get up but Hestia forced him back down "No." she said.

Ulic grabbed her pulling her eye level "Ladon said I'm captain now, that means-" "Jack squat to me, I'm the ship's medic that means I out rank everyone when it comes to health so get back in that bed until I say so." In the flurry of the argument Ulic didn't even notice the syringe stuck into his leg, Ulic-Nox's eyes rolled back into his head as he hit the bed out cold.

"Stubborn as your brother." Hestia sighed, shaking her head back and forth.

Back in Ahsoka's makeshift cell she struggled to get free before giving up seeing the knots around her were wound tight and she had nothing to cut herself. Taking a deep breath she started to focus on the ropes through the force, she focused on each knot starting to loosen them when the door burst open breaking her concentration. Teeseven rolled in, wheeling up to her the droid beeped a few times getting her attention "Yes it's nice to see you to but I'm not Ashala, my name is Ah-SO-Kah." She reiterated to the droid.

"Where are we going, I can tell by the ships humming we're in hyperspace?" She asked.

The droid started to answer her before Buur walked in "Droid." He barked.

The droid turned its plate head around at him curios at what he'd done to warrant such a tone "Go check on the engines droid."

The droid turned away from Ahsoka and beeped goodbye before leaving the room, Buur waited till the droid was gone and shut the door behind him leaving him in the room with Ahsoka, the mercenary towered over at her "What are you looking at ugly?" Ahsoka asked the advozian.

He reached under his is belt and pulled out a blade "You killed my Captain, he was the meanest son of a bitch I ever met but he was my friend so this is going to hurt and I'm going to enjoy it." Buur growled kneeling down putting the blade to her cheek, it was so sharp the touch against her cheek cut her, she winced "I didn't kill anyone." She said back.

"You might as well have locked us up in that cell." Buur said slowly starting to drag the blade when Ahsoka saw a Ladon behind him.

Ladon's claws grabbed Buur by the back of his collar and yanked him back throwing him into the back wall, Ladon kicked him in the balls. When Buur dropped his knife grabbing them about to fall over Ladon pinned him into the wall with one arm growling at his throat "I said no one touchesss her Buurrrrr." The rumbling in the lizards throat was a growl slowly rising.

A one armed trandoshan and advoze locked eyes "You protecting this karking jeedai murderer after dey killed Macross?"

"Macross made hisss choice, we all made the choice to do thisss job." Ladon snapped showing his fangs "Ulic-Nox didn't, this kids the dying after one of hers ran him through like a dog." Buur hissed about to raise his arms but Ladon dug his claws deep into the advoze's neck causing him to bleed.

Ladon through him at the doorway, Buur grabbed onto the doorway so he wouldn't fall "Get out." Buur spat on the floor at Ladon's feet before he left, Ladon sighed taking a deep breath before turning around to Ahsoka. He grabbed a crate with his one arm and pulled it toward her before stopping. He opened the crate and took out a corked bottle before he sat down on top of it. Ripping the cork out with his teeth then took a swig of the bottle and savored the taste, Ahsoka could smell the alcohol from her tied up spot and gagged a bit.

"Sssorry about him Jeedai" Ladon said setting the bottle down.

Rubbing his eyes, Ahsoka looked up at him before she spoke "Ulic-Nox, your friend said he was dying?"

"He's hurt, real bad by your massster, the one with the scar." Ladon said dragging his claw across his left eye to let Ahsoka know it was Anakin who'd done the deed.

"That's impossible, master would never hurt someone unless they deserved it let alone try to kill them?" Ahsoka said as Ladon looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

Taking another drink he burped "Maybe you don't know him asss much ass you think, than again I've only talked to Jeedai from the other end of one of these." Ladon said taking out her lightsaber from his vest.

"That's mine." Ahsoka snapped trying to break free but couldn't, Ladon snickered before he put it away "Obviousssly, you'll get it back when i sssay."

Ahsoka's desire to get her lightsaber back was turned into curiosity "You… aren't going to kill me?" She asked as he took another drink.

Ladon took his drink and shook his head "No for now you'll be our guest-" "You mean prisoner." She asked tugging at the bindings.

The two of them kept a stare on one another before Ladon finished the bottle entirely before throwing it at the wall and leaned in close his breath reeking of the vile drink. "Don't press your luck with me Jeedai, both Buur and Beatnik want you dead or worse, your master may have killed the last thing I value in this galaxy so don't give me a reason to give you to them." Ahsoka looked at his strong powerful jaws. His razor sharp fangs could easily take out her neck with a single bite.

Ahsoka could feel fear traveling up her spine as he closed his jaws "Now I want to ask you something, you'll answer me honestly and bare in mind if Ulic dies you may follow." Ladon said.

"Jedi are known to have powers of healing, can-you-help-him?" Ladon asked Ahsoka went pale.

She gulped "I… I don't know, only the most powerful Masters can heal mortal wounds."

The trandoshan snarled before he got up, he walked to the door leaving her alone again, when he shut it he saw Hestia walking down the hallway "I thought you said I'd get to choose when you talk to her?" The doctor asked.

"How's Ulic?" Ladon asked to change the subject.

"Stubborn, like Macross, I gave him enough meds to knock a rancor out." She said, facing her the hunter walked up to her "I asked if ssshe could heal him like in the old stories the kids mom use to tell me, she says ssshe doesn't know?" Ladon said, Hestia looked over at the door.

"Will we make it to the Revanites in time?" Ladon asked her.

Hestia didn't answer him. She only looked at the door to Ahsoka's room "Hestia?" Ladon asked.

"No, not unless she can help him." She whispered.

Ladon squeezed his remaining claw into a tight fist before releasing it, a few seconds later Ahsoka's cell door opened with both Ladon and Buur walking in, Buur holding his knife. The cut her from the pole and dragged Ahsoka to her feet "This way." Ladon hissed. She was lead out of the 'cell' and down to the medbay, Ahsoka saw the door open to see Ulic-Nox was laid out on the medical bed under a blanket with a breathing mask over his mouth keeping him sedated. Teeseven was on one side and Beatnik was on another holding a scatter gun pointed at her.

"I remember you." Ahsoka said to the Jawa who replied to her in his own tongue with what was definitely an insult.

Buur cut the ropes around her arms off making the fall to the floor before she felt the back of a blaster up against her lekku by Ladon, "Heal him." Ladon growled.

"I… I don't know if I can, I've never tried?" Ahsoka said, Hestia came past Buur and grabbed the girl by the hand "Try?" Hestia begged.

Ahsoka looked at her, the doctors face was sincere with what she was asking, she could feel the fear in the room but also the anger and the hatred. Ahsoka rubbed her arms and wrist and looked back at Ladon who gestured for her to at least try. Ahsoka took a deep breath walking up to Ulic's bed on the side of Teeseven the droid had one claw on the bed holding Ulic's hand and asked her something in droids peak "I'm not sure I… I'll try Teeseven." Ahsoka said before Hestia pulled back the blanket and showed the bandaged wound, blood had started to seep out of it and Ahsoka gulped.

She raised one hand and put it on Ulic's chest, the slightest touch made the boy wince when Buur almost stepped in Hestia got up and stopped him. Ahsoka reached into the living force over Ulic-Nox and closed her eyes, but they jolted up with a chill running up her spine "What is it?" Hestia asked as everyone saw the wild movement in her body.

"He's… he's weak."

"Tends to happen when you get- Stabbed." Buur grumbled.

Ladon who had his blaster still trained on Ahsoka lowered it "Pleassse, pleassse try our family can't loose another one so sssoon."

Ahsoka heard the sincerity in his voice and took a deep breath before she closed her eyes again and focused on the wound.

TWILIGHT, HYPERSPACE

Many hyperspace kilometers away because even in space the imperial system is dumb, Anakin and Obi-Wan were on their way to the nearest Republic fleet. Anakin leaned back in his chair slapping his gloved hand over his face "How could I let this happen, again first Bane and now these smugglers."

"Ahsoka is strong and I sense she's still alive." Obi-Wan said trying to comfort the padawanless jedi.

"For the moment, these criminals could gut her at any second for revenge." Anakin snapped almost jumping out of his chair.

Obi-Wan wasn't faced by the harsh tone in his old students words "Its the boy isn't it, your still thinking on it."

"How could I not." Anakin sighed cupping his eyes "He just wouldn't stop Master, he was losing there was no way he could win and he kept fighting." Anakin said rubbing the hand and wrists that dealt the blow to Ulic.

"Master I know being Jedi, we have the hardest job when it comes to making that choice to kill or not, but they never you never prepared for children- not children." Anakin said clearly shaken by the incident, one he never meant to happen.

Obi-Wan could feel the anger and doubt within Anakin "I've contacted Master Plo Koon's fleet in the nearby Corellia System they know we're on our way and will hold position in the meantime their Captain, the older brother I saw a recording of you two talking what do you think he meant by you forgot about your people?" Obi-wan asked him to try to get him to think about something else while still focusing on their objective.

"At first I thought he was referring to Tatooine when I was a slave to the Hutts, looking at the records of both Macross Shan and the Jawa they had plenty of dealings with the Hutts?" Anakin said turning off the self pity and focusing on being a jedi.

"I searched Republic Records for their names, nothing for Shan that was over five hundred years ago." Obi-Wan got up and walked over to the ships secondary monitor the one Ahsoka would usually sit in when it was just the two of them. "Ahsoka requested the classified texts of the Shan line before we left."

Anakin smiled "That's my girl." Anakin said walking over and turning on the monitor next to Obi-Wan "I took a look at them myself, and found some very interesting details."

"Like?" Anakin asked "Like the line of Shan ended three hundred years ago at the end of the High Republic Era." Obi-Wan said

"So Shan isn't their real name?" Anakin asked "Perhaps, I referenced Republic records in the outer rim once we were able to get our hands on before the Separatists rose to power there are various bounties and prison sentences for Shan's but almost all were either annulled or taken down, someone or something has been covering the tracks of anyone with the name Shan." Obi-Wan told him skipping through files and images of wanted posters but the faces had been blacked out or the data was corrupted.

"Do you think the Council had anything to do with it?" Anakin asked him.

Obi-Wan gave him a worrisome glance "Honestly Anakin the Council isn't always against you, but now that you say it if someone was able to corrupt these files then they must have been able to do it within the temple?" Obi-Wan guessed.

"We need to find out, they may be helping the smugglers and that could lead us to Ahsoka?" Anakin said.

NIGHTINGALE

In another part of the galaxy, Ulic was awake he sat up in his bed and reached for his stomach the wound was healed leaving only a seared flesh scar. All the pain in his back was gone and the tan skin was slightly paler from the burn but that was it. Sittin on a chair across from him was a drowsy Hestia who woke up seeing him "Your awake." Hestia said stunned.

"I'm alive too pateesa?" Ulic said looking at the wound "Thanks to the jedi?"

"Jeedai?" Ulic asked in his hutteese slang.

"Oh yeah um, Beatnik kidnapped that Jedi girl you were acting all sweet with when we got arrested before you were stabbed then we forced her to heal you and then she passed out so we put her in your old room to sleep since your in the Captains Quarters now." Hestia said, it took the boy a few moments to process it before a light bulb clicked on in his head.

His brown eyes got wide with horror "YOU LET A GIRL INTO MY ROOM!" Ulic sprang from the bed and ran out of the hallway to the crew quarters, he passed the captains quarters running toward his room and opened the door. Ulic froze the second he saw Ahsoka, what many people didn't know about the XL freighters were just how well equipped they were and how easily they could be modified. That included not just weapons and stealth tech, each crew quarters came with its own shower system so that every crew member could have the safety and privacy they desire. That included being able to lock the door from the inside, but when Ahsoka was brought in she'd been unconscious and the door hadn't been locked so Hestia could check her.

That meant the second Ulic opened the door, he saw Ahsoka reaching for a towel in a fogged up shower as he came up. The two of them had their cheeks flushed followed by each of them screaming, Ahsoka raised her hand and yelled "GET OUT!" A wave of force pushed slammed into Ulic and the door slammed shut when he tried to block it but he slammed into the wall and knocked out cold.

Later, Ulic-Nox woke up in the Nightingales common rooms with Ladon sitting next to him. There were two cups of tea sitting on Teeseven's head like a counter. Ladon took one cup and sipped it "You know I don't know a lot about women but always knock, always." Ladon said handing him the tea.

"Where are we going?" Ulic asked, taking the cup.

"...Back to **them**." Ladon said, when Ulic heard it he was taking a drink and spat it out over Teeseven.

"WHY!" Ulic snapped shooting a look at the trandoshan "Don't asssk me, asssk the droid." Ladon said pointing to the droid to blame. Ulic-Nox glared at Teeseven "Tee, whyyyyyyyy the last time we were with the Revanites they tried to kill us?"

Teeseven responded calmly to be yelled at "You call being sacrificed to a giant worm snake thing 'just a test'?" Ulic-Nox asked him as he sat back down rubbing his forehead.

"Ooooooohh, Ladon what the hell is going on?" Ulic-Nox moaned rubbing his face trying to calm down, he felt a shirt thrown over his head and raised up to see Beatnik had tossed him an old shirt that the boy quickly put it on covering his scars as the Jawa approached him.

Saying something to him in Jawaese, Beatnik revealed behind his back Ulic-Nox's sketchbook "My sketchbook?"

Beatnik mumbled something out rubbing the back of his hat "What he said, you were learning Jawa right?" Ladon asked Ulic.

"He said he was trying to rig the Jedi ship to explode but found my book when they heard us coming." Ulic translated holding it tight "Thanks Beatnik."

The trandoshan sipped his tea with one hand before setting it down "A plan made long ago, once we rendezvous with the Revanites I promissse I'll explain everything with Dusk."

"That old witch?" Ulic asked him.

"Don't tell her that." Ladon snickered.

In Ulic-Nox's room, Ahsoka was drying off in the towel, she looked at her clothes on the bed noticing they were all rather dirty. Her boots were caked in mud along with her white pants that stained easy, the red skirt and top were also muddied and slightly torn, the only thing that wasn't nearly ruined was her torgurta sash, the only thing that she wore from her people along with the selka beads as she had no hair to make a braid. She walked over to the nearby closet and opened it only for a wave of wrinkled up clothes and shoes to fall out.

"Ugh boys." Ahsoka said to herself when a knock on the door made her jump.

"Excuse me Jedi?" It was Hestia on the other end.

Ahsoka looked around and remembered Ladon had taken her lightsaber, so when she walked to the door she opened it just a crack "I noticed your clothes were dirty before you showered, so I brought some new fresh ones well their kind out of style I was younger when I wore them." Hestia said standing outside the door, in her hands was a stack of different clothes, Ahsoka looked at the at the doctor with distrust before she reached out and took the clothes.

Hestia had the door slammed in her face but it only made her sigh "Jedi, they never change."

Leaving the hallway, Hestia walked into the common room "How much longer till we get to the crazy club?" Hestia asked Ladon.

"Soon, we'll be dropping out of hyperspace to… wherever Teeseven is taking us?" Hestia's grey eyes got wide "We don't know?" he asked.

Ladon scratched the side of his hip "My guess is Dusk messed with his already damaged memory banks and rigged it so if things ever got serious, like bad pooda serious like this he'd take us to them."

"So they'd kill us." Buur said walking in armed to the teeth with blasters holstered in areas nobody would expect, with body armor and explosives strapped to their bodies.

Ladon rolled his eyes slapping his forehead at them "If you shoot then they will kill usss."

"Except for me." Ulic-Nox said "Except for him." Ladon said pointing to the boy.

Ahsoka had come out of the room to hear them talking and snuck up around the corner to eavesdrop on them. "This is just in case they decide to do us like the Jedi did the boy." Buur said lowering his blaster rifle

"Look I don't like it any more then you do, but they can refuel and resupply us when we reach them, if all goes well this is just another checkup." Ladon said standing up trying to get everyone to calm down.

Ulic-Nox sat forward rubbing his hands "How do we explain Macross, or the weapons which nobody seems to want to tell me about?" Ulic-Nox said sitting up, the crew looked to one another before Ladon knelt down in front of him.

"Fine, you of all people deserve the truth kid." Ladon said reaching for his hands he squeezed them in his claw trying to find the words. "You remember the jobs we went on raiding medical and food stores?" Ladon asked him, Ahsoka remembered reading it in the report about them Obi-Wan had drafted.

The boy nodded "Of course, money wasn't always good but gave us a lot of safe harbor when we needed it?"

"People in the outer rim need all the help they can get and they me on the verge of having sssomething none of us hasss ever had before?" Ladon said looking at the crew then at Ulic "A nation of our own, not a single planet or system but a unified people standing for one goal one purpose, a free galaxy where people didn't need to live in fear of pirates, slavers or a government that doesn't care about them."

Ulic's eyes got wide "You and Macross made a deal with the Separatists?"

"It's more complicated than that, but yes-" "I NEW IT!" Ahsoka suddenly burst from behind the cover, she was wearing a high collared red vest zipped up on the side to the collar, she had put on long sleeved fingerless gloves that went up to her shoulders, her vest went down past her hips where she wore her red belt with her torgurtan sash. Her legs were covered by a set of grey pants with pockets on the side and zippers down into her boots.

Buur and Beatnik aimed their blasters at him "You are separatists."

"No!" Ladon said to both his crew and Ahsoka "No, I don't expect you to understand Jedi but we want the same thing you want an end to thisss stupid war." Ladon said.

"By smuggling weapons it will only prolong the fighting?" She asked and accused him "And what are you doing huh?" Ladon asked Ahsoka "You jedi are suppose to be peacekeepers and you're fighting a war for tyrantsss!" Ladon yelled at her, Ahsoka didn't back down as he stood in front of her.

Ahsoka nearly snapped "How dare you say the Republic are tyrants, the Separatists have razed worlds like Ryloth, burned cities and slaughtered millions."

"Droid soldiers following the orders of ambitious war criminals, and the Republic's response is to create an army of slave soldiers to be led by people who were taken by the Republic's Jedi to enforce the status quo." Ladon said walking toward her.

"The jedi fight for peace, they help and protect people." Ahsoka said firmly "And what of your people torgurtan!" Ladon yelled at her "Tell me do you remember your family your people?" Ladon asked her to hold up a claw.

"What?" Ahsoka asked him.

Ladon gestured back to his crew "We all had people, families that we lost not because of the Republic or Jedi, but because neither of them cared enough so I'll ask again do you remember your family?" Ladon asked her.

"I… I'm a jedi, their my family." Ahsoka said, Ladon only sighed, shaking his head.

"Well this is our family, the only family we have left I know you had nothing to do with what happened with Macross, he died as he lived fighting for what he believed in." Ladon said to the other Nightingales and down to Ulic, then turning around to Ahsoka "Before you throw us in with Count Dooku's war criminals at least let show you after we deal with the Revanites."

Ahsoka got puzzled at hearing the name "Revanites?"

Just as she asked the ship started to come out of hyperspace "You'll find out soon enough." Hestia said walking toward the bridge, everyone including Ahsoka made their way up there just in time for the blue vortex of hyper speed to dissipate and they came out to see world Ahsoka had never seen before. It had a single sun and moon orbiting it, the planet itself was covered mostly in green lands with small oceans.

"What world is that?" Ahsoka asked, "Your guess is as good as ours." Ulic-Nox said sitting down in the pilots chair next to Ladon.

"Teeseven?" He asked the droid it beeped at him "Belkadan, so this is where they went after Yavin 4?"

Ladon started to bring the ship down "Makes since, Revan loved those old lizards." Ladon said.

"I'm sorry but I just heard you all saying the Revanites were dangerous; why are we going to them?" Ahsoka asked getting in the only empty seat watching the strange world get closer to them, looking at the stars around she couldn't recognize any of them from her years of training, meaning they had to be somewhere in the far corners of the galaxy. Ladon was in the copilot seat flipping switches and pressing buttons "If I'm going to war, I'd rather have someone I'm afraid of on my side then the others." he said starting the landing procedure. The Nightingale descended between thick white clouds, sprinkling the cockpit glass with water that were blown off a few moments later when they broke through the clouds Ahsoka saw they were flying over a small ocean toward a thick jungle swamp. They soared over large trees covering the jungle floor, there were openings into the seas with swampy rivers feeding into the ocean as there was no beach. Ahsoka could see flocks of birds starting to surround the ship following it before breaking off, as a suddenly larger bird swooped in grabbing one of the birds scattering the flock. The Nightingale got lower over the trees heading toward a small mountain range covered in green foliage and bare beige rock but when she got closer she saw it wasn't a mountain range.

It was a city retaken by the nature, thick vines from the trees had reached up over giant towers pyramids, bridges and even what'll poked like roadways around it, but unless she wasn't a jedi she wouldn't notice that some of the vines had been cut away around walkways and on balconies with doorways showing that someone was home, she was right for certain when a massive grey maned creature with wings landed on the top of the ship and hung off the side looking into the cockpit. It had a large beak and four strong limbs like large cats, its hide was a dark reddish brown and someone was riding creature had a harness over hits torso and the rider looked out covered in what looked like fur from the griffins mane and a patchwork suit dyed to match the rest of the creatures' hide. A pair of goggles poked out of the bush of hair.

Ladon raised his claw up at the rider who raised one arm waving to the left and then pointing down before it flew off.

"What the stars was that?" Ahsoka gasped.

"A scout, must have known we were coming, Ulic follow him." Ulic-Nox flew the Nightingale down to behind the creature heading to a vine covered platform, suddenly it opened the branches splitting showing they were sawed perfectly at the seem letting the Nightingale descend into the hidden city.

Ahsoka looked over the side to see an underground hanger with stone at the bottom, when the Nightingale passed through the doors they slowly closed in around them leaving them in total darkness.

"Everyone out and no weapons Buur, you too Beatnik you psychopath." Ladon said getting up pointing to him.

Ladon stopped in front of Ahsoka "It's no use keeping you hidden they already know you here, Madam Dusk will want to talk to you."

Ahsoka gave the trandoshan a puzzled look as he passed by "Madam Dusk?"

Everyone got up heading out of the ship, Ulic was the last one in the cockpit he looked at her before he set his book down on the dashboard "She may sound scary but that's because she's terrifying." Ulic said waiting till she got up.

"I'm not afraid of you or her just so you know." Ahsoka said up to him as she rose.

"She does and so do you." He said walking past her, Ahsoka felt his word sting into her she had never had anyone outright say it to her when she wasn't trying to be scary like with a petty criminal or Separatist. They waited till Ahsoka and Ulic joined the rest of the crew at the loading ramp, they lowered it slowly the only lights outside coming from the ship itself. Ladon walked out first followed by Hestia, Buur, Beatnik then Teeseven before Ulic gestured for Ahsoka to go next she rolled her eyes and did so thinking they were all being dramatic. When everyone was outside the Nightingale Ahsoka looked around the ship surrounded in darkness suddenly they heard a loud thumb and looked up to the ships cockpit, someone else had landed on it and Ahsoka's eyes got wider when she saw a white lightsaber, another one behind them overhead, then another on the port side engine, then to their right, to the side and finally one of them in front.

Their white lightsabers gave of a ghostly visage off their attire was alien but also to familiar to Ahsoka, They wore simple vestments and tunics but were wrapped up around their forearms with white togas over their shoulders and wrapping down their waists, hoods down into their robes covered their faces along with masks that had slit visors and carvings on the face and around the slit. "Revanites?" Ahsoka asked as she tensed up and looked to Ladon, he nodded at her with a "hmhm". "Give me my lightsaber, now." Ahsoka snapped.

Ladon didn't get the chance to rebuke her order because her lightsaber flew out of his vest and into the shadows before someone turned it on. Walking out of the darkness holding Ahsoka's lightsaber was a figure in long grey robes, they wore a white cloak around their shoulders and had a hood too, the hinge of their cloak was white with rings interlocked with lines going down to the floor.

"I wondered what it could mean when a jedi was with you Ladon?" It was a woman's voice, Ahsoka could only deduce this was the mysterious and notorious Madam Dusk. As she got closer they saw she was flanked by two more strangers in full body robes and white togas but instead of lightsabers they held long staffs that when they stamped them on the floor lightsaber lances shot out on the end and pointed at them.

Ladon raised his one arm and took step forward "Madam Dusk, I see you and Teeseven got close last time?" He asked, Teeseven rolled out behind the crew and up to Dusk where she rubbed its head "Hello my old friend."

"Ladon, I see you've seen better days?" She said behind her lightsaber wielding guards "Dusk I don't have time for pleasantries Macross is gone and now the Jedi are after us."

She pulled back her hood and Ahsoka saw a head of flowing white hair held up in long braids done up to it wouldn't be in her face. Her face was narrow with eyes like a hawk and a small nose that lead down to a pair of pouty lips "By the Force how could fuck up this bad?"


End file.
